UNICEF Iran Office supports training on New-born Individualized Developmental Care and...

Neonatologists, paediatricians, nurses and students as well as other experts from relevant disciplines attended the event from all over the country.

The seminar was hosted by the Family Health Research Center, School of Nursing and Midwifery and supported by the joint collaboration of UNICEF Iran Office, NIDCAP Federation International (NFI) and the Ministry of Health and Medical Education.
In her trip to Iran, Professor Heidelise Als, the founder and president of the NIDCAP Federation International, delivered lectures in the seminar. She also continued training and coaching a group of neonatologists and nurses as NIDCAP students in two hospitals of Mahdieh and Vali-e-Asr in Tehran from 6 to 10 December.

Mr. Amirhossein Yarparvar, UNICEF Iran Health and Nutrition Specialist stated, “The NIDCAP approach is a global initiative which is developed based on the Synactive Theory of Infant Development. It is offering a change to the quality of provided care in Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICUs) to further stimulate the optimal growth and development of the premature babies.”

Professor Heidelise Als stressed the importance of participatory management of premature babies and utilizing the triangular principle of newborns, parents and medical team.
“We need to be attentive to the behavior of infants, particularly babies born preterm and listen to their parents in the NICUs. With the help of parents and the medical team, we need to provide a situation in which the newborns could be able to grow into normal, healthy children while they leave the NICU,” Professor Als added.

Professor Als further stated, “NIDCAP aims to prevent learning problems and developmental disorders that could harm children and society to a great extent.”

Professor Heidelise Als holds a PhD in Developmental and Educational Psychology from University of Pennsylvania. She completed her Postdoctoral Supervision/Fellowship in Clinical Child Psychology and Child Development from Harvard Medical School. She has focused her life research on the behavioral organization of the newborn infants, especially the preterm and high risk infants.

As stated by the Director of Ministry of Health's Neonatal Health Department, Dr. Mohammad Heydarzadeh, “This is the third seminar of its kind led and guided by an international trainer. The next round of NIDCAP coaching and training will be held in May 2016.”