Neonatology is the branch of medicine that includes the treatment and care of newborn babies, especially those who are critically ill and/or premature. A neonatologist is a medical doctor who specializes in the care of these newborns.
Some of the issues and conditions our neonatologists treat include:
- Infections
- Respiratory failure
- Newborn brain injuries, including cooling therapy
- Birth defects such as congenital diaphragmatic hernia
- Pulmonary hypertension
- Intestinal failure and intestinal birth defects
- Metabolic disorders
- Kidney failure
- Medical issues of infants who need surgery or surgical evaluation
- Infants who need ECMO (extracorporeal membrane oxygenation)
- Counseling for conditions diagnosed before birth that will require a stay in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU)
- Complications resulting from preterm birth
Ranked among the top neonatology programs in the country.
We are among the best pediatric neonatology programs in the nation and No. 1 in the Southeast based on factors like outcomes, number of patients treated, fewer complications, best practices and more.
READ MOREAt Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, we embrace collaboration among our pediatric specialists. Through this collaboration, we offer families the following programs, clinics and services in which our neonatologists participate.
Babies born early or with complex medical conditions often spend their first days in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). After they go home—and as they grow—these children may also have medical conditions or developmental challenges that require special attention. The Children’s Developmental Progress Clinic specializes in providing comprehensive medical and developmental care that addresses the needs of premature and medically complex infants after they leave the hospital and provides families with the resources they may need from infancy into early childhood. Note, this clinic does not replace a child’s pediatrician or well-child check-ups. This clinic is for children who need continued monitoring, care coordination and early interventions after they “graduate” from NICUs.
About our clinic
In collaboration with Emory University School of Medicine, the Developmental Progress Clinic (DPC) provides neurodevelopment follow-up evaluations for NICU graduates. This clinic, located at Hughes Spalding Hospital, the Center for Advanced Pediatrics and Marcus Autism Center, was created to provide ongoing care and services for children who spent time in the NICU because of preterm birth or complex medical problems.
In the DPC, we believe that all babies deserve the best possible chance at happy, healthy development with their families. Our clinic was established to serve babies born with high risk for developmental problems and delays—as well as their families. We see these children from birth to age 5 in-person
Our team
Together with your child’s pediatrician and community services, the DPC team has a range of providers who are focused on the development of babies, toddlers, and young children, including:
- Neonatologists
- Pediatricians
- Nurse practitioners
- Developmental psychologists
- Social workers
- Physical and occupational therapists
We follow and support your child’s development and connect you to new research studies to help you make positive changes for your child. We want your family to feel well supported as your child approaches school age.
Resources
Our pediatric ECMO Center, one of the few in the Southeast, provides lifesaving cardiac and respiratory support to children whose heart and lungs cannot work on their own.
Children’s Fetal Care Center serves babies from across the region who have congenital defects or fetal abnormalities. Our fetal medicine specialists collaborate with obstetricians and perinatologists (obstetricians specializing in high-risk pregnancies) to assist women and families experiencing high-risk pregnancies in developing a comprehensive care plan. As the care plan is developed, the expectant family will be introduced to the services Children’s offers and the providers, including our neonatologists, that may be assisting with the delivery and/or post-delivery care of their child.
Located at Arthur M. Blank Hospital and Scottish Rite Hospital, our Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICUs) provide comprehensive, advanced care for critically ill newborns and premature infants from across the Southeast. Children’s has Georgia’s only Level IV Neonatal Center verified by the Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) and American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). Our highly trained healthcare professionals use advanced technology to care for our tiniest patients, many with surgical or other complex needs.
Children's offers neonatal transport through ground support with one specialty NICU team as well as four Medical Intensive Care Unit (MICU) trucks that provide neonatal and pediatric specialty care services 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Air support is provided by Children's One, which has the capability to complete scene calls in addition to interfacility transports.
Led by Brenda B. Poindexter, MD, MS, Division Chief of Neonatology, our neonatologists work alongside a multidisciplinary team that includes certified nurses, respiratory therapists, dietitians, pharmacist, child life specialists, social workers, certified lactation consultants and chaplains. We also collaborate with our colleagues in pediatric surgery and more than 30 pediatric subspecialties, including: cardiology, radiology, pulmonology, ENT, neurosurgery, neurology, endocrinology, nephrology and hematology.
Physician leadership
- Brenda Poindexter, MD, MS, Division Chief, Neonatology
- Anthony Piazza, MD, Medical Director, Neonatology, Arthur M. Blank Hospital
- Shannon Hamrick, MD, Associate Medical Director, Neonatology
- Patrick S. Spafford, MD, Medical Director, Neonatology, Scottish Rite Hospital
Children’s Physician Group–Neonatology
Children’s Physician Group is the largest multispecialty physician practice in Georgia. Children’s Physician Group enables you and your family to see pediatric specialists that are part of the Children’s team.
- Tamara Arnautovic, MD
- Maria Barbian, MD
- Shazia Bhombal, MD
- Betsey Chambers, MD
- Patricia Lanee Wei Denning, MD
- April Dworetz, MD
- Summer Elshenawy, MD
- Sobha Fritz, PhD
- Shannon Hamrick, MD
- Heidi Karpen, MD
- Sarah Keene, MD
- Salathiel Kendrick-Allwood, MD
- Gagandeep Kooner, MD
- Anisa Lakhani, MD
- Nathalie Maitre, MD
- Kera McNelis, MD
- Letitia Mobley, MD
- Mary Neel, MD
- Jocelyn Ou, MD
- Ravi Patel, MD
- Michelle-Marie Pena, MD
- Anthony Piazza, MD
- Brenda Poindexter, MD, MS
- Deepa Ranganathan, MD
- Jessica Roberts, MD
- Amy Rule, MD
- Vivek Saroha, MD
- Shubha Setty, MD
- Elizabeth Sewell, MD, MPH
- Nitya Shah, MD
- Lindsay Sternad, MD
- Shilpa Vyas-Read, MD
- Helen Williams, MD
- Mattie Wolf, MD
Private practice neonatologists
We work closely with the following private practice physicians in our program to deliver seamless care to patients at Scottish Rite Hospital.
Our NICUs are located at Arthur M. Blank Hospital and Scottish Rite Hospital. Our Developmental Progress Clinics are held at the Center for Advanced Pediatrics and Hughes Spalding Hospital.
Center for Advanced Pediatrics
2174 North Druid Hills Road NE
Atlanta, GA 30329
Arthur M. Blank Hospital
2220 North Druid Hills Road NE NE
Atlanta, GA 30329
Hughes Spalding Hospital
35 Jesse Hill Jr. Drive SE
Atlanta, GA 30303
Scottish Rite Hospital
1001 Johnson Ferry Road NE
Atlanta, GA 30342-1605
Contact Us 404-785-KIDS (5437)