Developmentally Supportive Care in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit: An Occupational Therapist’s Role

The role of a pediatric occupational therapist (OT) in the NICU is to provide comprehensive services, including evaluation, treatment, education, decision making, family support, and discharge planning. It may also include early intervention services or outpatient pediatric rehabilitation services. This article will address the need for developmentally supportive care in the NICU, and specifically addresses the role of an OT in this setting. It will explain how crucial collaboration between team members can be in providing quality, comprehensive care for these neonates. In addition, it will address the important role of the parent in this setting for developmentally supportive care while in the NICU and follow-up intervention upon discharge.