Neonatal Therapist Plan of Care
Presented by Lara Liszka
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Neonatal therapy addresses the complex developmental needs of infants hospitalized in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) who are at high risk for developmental delays and medical complications. Neonatal therapists—occupational, physical, and speech therapists with specialized training—are tasked with providing targeted interventions that support motor, sensory, and feeding skills essential for long-term development. However, because NICU infants experience rapid developmental changes, determining effective goals and adapting the plan of care can be challenging. This course equips neonatal therapists with tools to construct appropriate, individualized treatment goals, conduct thorough evaluations, and adjust care plans to align with each infant’s evolving needs.
Learning Objectives
- Determine neonatal therapy treatment goals
- Examine the role of a neonatal therapist
- Analyze neonatal therapy treatment progression and adjust plan of care accordingly
- Plan a neonatal therapy evaluation to develop a targeted plan of care addressing infant and caregiver engagement in age-appropriate and developmentally appropriate occupations
Meet your instructor
Lara Liszka
Lara Liszka earned her doctorate in occupational therapy from Washington University in St. Louis in 2019, where she was a member of the NICU Therapy Lab. Her doctoral research focused on early auditory exposure across neonatal environments and the social factors influencing the early auditory environment after NICU discharge.…
Chapters & learning objectives
1. Role of a Neonatal Therapist
This chapter will explore the role of a neonatal therapist. It will examine how neonatal therapists take both habilitative and rehabilitative approaches that address the unique needs of preterm infants. Additionally, the chapter will discuss the roles, training, and standards set by key governing bodies, including AOTA, ASHA, APTA, and NANTA, to highlight the foundational guidelines and competencies required for neonatal therapists.
2. Neonatal Therapist Goals of Care
This chapter will focus on establishing treatment goals in neonatal therapy to guide the plan of care. It will cover the process of constructing SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, timebound) goals to ensure targeted and trackable outcomes for each infant. This will allow the neonatal therapist to develop a structured and impactful therapeutic plan of care for patients they treat in the NICU.
3. Neonatal Therapist Plan of Care Across NICU Hospitalization
This chapter will examine the progression of the neonatal therapy plan of care and how to make adjustments based on the infant’s evolving needs and development in the NICU. It will detail a timeline of critical factors—medical, psychological, environmental, and sensory—that can impact therapy at different stages of a preterm infant’s hospitalization. Through case examples, the chapter will also illustrate strategies for evaluating and modifying treatment goals to ensure that interventions remain developmentally appropriate and effective.
More courses in this series
Neonatal Therapist Plan of Care
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Infant Neurobehavior
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