Premature and newborn infants are admitted to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) for many reasons.  It is critical that the preterm infants and sick babies receive the highest care in order to get well as quickly as possible.  While many parents fear the Neonatal ICU, it is, in fact, the best place a premature or sick baby can be.

Here is a list of common reasons, or criteria, for admission into the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit:

• Atrial Septal Defect (ASD)
• Cerebral Palsy
• Clubfoot
• Cytomegalovirus (CMV)
• Coarctation of the Aorta
• Cystic Fibrosis
• Diaphragmatic Hernia
• Duodenal Atresia
• Esophageal Atresia
• Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
• Gastroesophageal Reflux
• Gastroschisis
• Hirschsprung’s Disease
• Hydrocephalus
• Hydronephrosis
• Hydrops Fetalis
• Hypoglycemia
• Imperforate Anus
• Intrauterine Growth Restriction (IUGR)
• Meconium Aspiration
• MRSA
• Meningitis
• Necrotizing Enterocolitis (NEC)
• Omphalocele
• Patent Ductus Arteriosis (PDA)
• Periventricular Leukomalacia (PVL)
• Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension (PPHN)
• Pneumothorax
• Respiratory Distress Syndrome (RDS)
• Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP)
• Spina Bifida 
• Subglottic Stenosis
• Syphilis
• Tachypnea
• Trisomy 18
• Trisomy 21 (Down Syndrome)
• Turner Syndrome
• Ventricular Septal Defect (VSD)