Growth and Developmental Support Program

Fellows attend eight half-day sessions per year in the Growth and Developmental Support Program (GraDS), which provides care to high-risk infants who have graduated from one of the participating Neonatal Intensive Care Units in the Harvard Program in Neonatology.  Here, fellows’ responsibilities include performance of a medical history and physical examination; summary and coordination of the care provided for their patients during the visit across professional disciplines (e.g., psychology, occupational therapy, physical therapy); referral to other specialists (e.g., neurology, ophthalmology); reliable written and verbal communication and advocacy with outside care agencies (e.g., social services, early intervention programs, schools) and other consultants; identification of potential barriers to access to care (e.g., financial difficulties in attending further follow-up assessments); and resolution of those problems.