The George Washington University Hospital offers some of the most technologically advanced patient care equipment in the country, including neonatal incubators designed to improve the physical and neurological development of premature infants.
The intrauterine environment for a developing fetus is characterized by very minimal sensory stimulation, effectively leading to proper brain development. Infants born prematurely at 28 weeks or less, have a less developed cerebral cortex and therefore less sensory development. Deficiencies in development may lead to many mental and neurological problems for the infant later in life.
The incubators in the hospital’s neonatal intensive care unit are technologically superior and designed to mimic life in the womb. By keeping noise and light to a minimum, the child continues to develop as it would undisturbed in the womb. The incubator provides caregivers an opportunity to access the infant for procedures without modifying their position, by utilizing a “baby-susan,” which rotates the baby without disrupting their normal sleep patterns. An x-ray tray is built into the unit so that the infant can be x-rayed if necessary, without being repositioned.
In addition the incubator has superior capabilities for regulation of the temperature and humidity within the incubator, protecting the child’s fragile paper-thin skin.
The revolutionary design of the incubator creates one of the most user-friendly and developmentally-supportive microenvironments available today, and results in increased comfort, reduced trauma and appropriate stimulation for the developing neonate.
The George Washington University Hospital is proud to offer our most vulnerable patients these life-saving technological advancements.
Print Page
