Primary Care for Children Born Preterm

The NICU discharge is a milestone, but it’s not the finish line. For children born prematurely, primary care plays a critical role in what comes next: tracking growth and development, recognizing ongoing health needs and helping families navigate the transition from intensive neonatal care to everyday childhood. But how should pediatricians adjust their approach? And what are the things we’re at risk of missing? We’re focusing on the practical side of caring for children born prematurely in the primary care setting, with the goal of helping pediatricians turn a complex NICU history into a clear, proactive care plan. Prematurity may shape the beginning of the story, but primary care helps shape what comes next.

To move beyond the NICU discharge summary, we are joined by Laura Brown, MD. She specializes in neonatal and perinatal medicine at Children’s Hospital Colorado. She is also a professor at the University of Colorado School of Medicine.

In this episode, our experts discuss:

• When to use corrected age versus chronological age for preterm infants
• How a pediatrician should be watching these children differently in the days and months after transition of care
• When preterm babies need specialized follow up care
• Biggest red flags for pediatricians to watch during infancy