The Neonatology section of Pediatrics advances clinical care for newborns while teaching physicians and conducting research in areas that will expand the health care of Arkansas’ smallest patients.

Physicians in the section manage approximately 2,000 babies delivered yearly at the University Hospital of Arkansas, half of whom are admitted to the Special Care, Intensive Care, or Critical Care Nursery. The neonatologists also care for a referral population of over 900 neonates at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Arkansas Children’s Hospital (ACH). The daily census of intensive care patients between the two hospitals usually exceeds 100 patients. Over 60% of the state’s very low birth weight babies (less than 1500 grams) are admitted to the combined nurseries. Five daytime attending physicians, assisted by neonatal fellows, pediatric residents, and neonatal nurse practitioners, manage these patients daily, and an in-house neonatologist at ACH provides after-hour coverage for both hospitals.

Specialized clinical services include High Frequency Ventilation, Nitric Oxide Therapy, and Extra-Corporeal Membrane Oxygenation, at ACH, as well as the availability of all pediatric medical and surgical sub-specialties.

In addition to participating in the training program for pediatrics residents, the section offers an accredited 3-year Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine fellowship.

Physicians in the Neonatology section are actively engaged in several areas of research including regulation of cerebral blood flow in premature babies; selective head cooling after severe asphyxia; effects of infant nutrition and nutritional supplementation on growth and development and subsequent brain function; stem cell differentiation and developmental biology; use of computer technology for documentation; vitamin D and calcium metabolism in neonates; appropriate pain control in neonates, and refinement of discharge planning and follow-up medical management of NICU graduates.

Faculty Members:

    Robert W. Arrington, MD, Section Chief

    Bryan L. Burke, MD

    Lina F. Chalak, MD

    Nahed O. El-Hassan, MD

    Maria Teresa Esquivel, MD

    Erica France Braswell, MD

    R. Whit Hall, MD

    Marla Harrison Lightburn, MD

    Jeffrey R. Kaiser, MD

    Robert E. Lyle, MD

    Tonya L. Marotti, MD

    Julie May-Wewers, MD

    Robert Edwin McGehee, Jr., PhD

    Christopher S. Monnikendam, MD

    Clare Campbell Nesmith, MD

    Kristi Palmer, MD

    Audra M. Prince, MD

    Becky Rogers, MD

    Ashley S. Ross, MD

    Joanne S. Szabo, MD

    Bonnie J. Taylor, MD

    Billy R. Thomas, MD

    Donnal C. Walter, MD

Additional web links:

Arkansas Children's Hospital, Resources, Health eKids, February 2004 Newsletter

    http://www.archildrens.org/resources/health_ekids/feb04/angel_one.asp

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