New program shows family is the medicine

Dr. Jessica Dooley, from left, Amy Griesser, Chantel Morin, and Dr. Sarangan Uthayalingam had key roles in the development of the Eat, Sleep, Console program at Brantford General Hospital.

Each year, approximately 1,500 babies are born at Brantford General Hospital (BGH), with 250 requiring specialized care in our Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). Approximately 30 of these newborns are at risk of neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS), a condition caused by substance withdrawal.

To enhance supports for these newborns, BGH has introduced Eat, Sleep, Console – a program that transitions away from the standard pharmacological treatment to a model of care which prioritizes parental involvement.

"It is amazing to see families empowered to care for and nurture their newborns," says Dr. Jessica Dooley, Chief & Medical Director of Pediatrics and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.

Since April 2023, this approach has led to an 80% reduction in morphine use and has reduced hospital stays from 14 days to less than 7 for at risk newborns.

Learn more in the latest Hospital Insider: Eat, Sleep, Console initiative helps infants at BGH | Brantford Expositor

Photo: Dr. Jessica Dooley, from left, Amy Griesser, Chantel Morin, and Dr. Sarangan Uthayalingam had key roles in the development of the Eat, Sleep, Console program at Brantford General Hospital.