Neonatal therapy team helps babies go home sooner

Hundreds of premature babies at risk of feeding and communication difficulties have been helped by a neonatal team in Wolverhampton, enabling them to go home sooner.

Since a speech and language therapist (SLT) team was established in 2022 at New Cross Hospital, it had supported families to help babies move from tube feeding to feeding by mouth, the trust said.

Babies born early, at full term and/or with medical concerns were at risk of feeding and communication difficulties, it stated.

The team supports and guides families, develops skills around feeding and language development and educates other neonatal team members.

Before it was set up in March 2022, infants were seen ad-hoc by a community SLT team, the trust said.

Last year, 94% of referrals were seen on the same day.

More than 660 premature babies have been supported by speech and language therapists in Wolverhampton.

Since the trust's neonatal SLT team was established at the hospital, it has supported families to assist babies in moving to feeding by mouth, alongside advising on early communication.

Its duties include working to identify babies at risk of feeding and/or communication difficulties, supporting families in their baby's care, including feeding choice, and helping develop pre-feeding skills - for example, sucking.

The team also supports families and staff in early language development.

Advanced practitioner neonatal speech and language therapist Rachel Evans said: "Over the last three years, there has been a significant increase in the number of babies being discharged with a short-term feeding tube.

"This allows them to develop feeding at home in their own time, supported by the neonatal community outreach team, rather than hospital.

"Babies have been discharged sooner. This leads to more positive feeding, meaning they're less likely to experience difficulties."

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