Newborn Specialties

Arkansas Children's treats a variety of prenatal and newborn health conditions within our specialty and subspecialty departments.  

Here are specialties and common conditions treated in them:    

• Neonatology
  • Prematurity and all of its complications, congenital anomalies, neurologic, metabolic, infectious and genetic disorders in newborns. The neonatologist is the primary doctor for the baby in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and collaborates with subspecialty teams. Most patients in the NICU experience one or more of these conditions.  
• Urology / Nephrology 
  • Hydronephrosis/hydroureteronephrosis, posterior urethral valves, spina bifida, bladder exstrophy, solitary kidney (mostly nephrology), multicystic dysplasia kidney (mostly nephrology) 
• Neurology
  • Neonatal seizures, congenital brain malformations, hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy, neonatal hypotonia, neonatal stroke, intraventricular hemorrhage, congenital hydrocephalus, periventricular leukomalacia 
• Neurosurgery
  • Spina bifida, encephalocele, hydrocephalus 
• Pulmonology
  • Cystic fibrosis (failed newborn screen or family history), pulmonary hypertension, bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), diaphragmatic hernia, prematurity 
• General Surgery
  • Gastroschisis, congenital diaphragmatic hernias, omphalocele 
• Vascular Anomalies
  • Any venous malformations noted on ultrasound 
• ENT
  • If head, neck and face (i.e., cleft lip and palate), laryngomalacia and other airway concerns, tracheostomy placement   
• Plastics
  • Cleft lip and palate 
• Orthopedics
  • Club feet or any concerning upper or lower extremity abnormalities 
• Cardiology
  • Additional testing in fetal cardiology following ultrasound, concerns for heart abnormalities or arrhythmias; evaluations if relative has congenital heart disease (CHD), other risks for CHD like maternal conditions, maternal medications, genetic disorders of the fetus; newborn evaluations include arrhythmias, murmurs, known or suspected congenital heart disease, concerns with cardiac function   
• Diabetes and Endocrinology
  • Thyroid, panhypopituitarism, hypopituitarism 
• Hematology/Oncology
  • Tumors in newborns, congenital blood disorders