The Incubator

Send us Fan Mail Join us for a riveting discussion with Dr. Ravi Patel and Dr. Rune Toms, exploring the FDA's recent warning about using probiotics in preterm infants in the NICU. 🚼🚨 Unpack the science, implications, and expert insights to navigate this critical neonatal care  Support the show As always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicupodcast@gmai...

Send us Fan Mail Our special guest, Dr. Paul Krushka, Chief Medical Officer for Gene DX, guides us through this fascinating journey, explaining how Gene DX is revolutionizing the medical world with advanced genetic testing. Hear about the impressive strides made in detecting rare genetic diseases using whole-exome and whole-genome sequencing.  He enlightens us about the importance of understanding...

Send us Fan Mail Can you imagine the world of neonatal medicine from the lens of cutting-edge research and innovative practices? This week, we unpack the complexities of neonatal care, shining a light on the vital role of antibiotic prophylaxis in preventing secondary kidney damage for infants with severe VUR. We review a landmark study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, focusing on...

Send us Fan Mail What if antibiotics aren't as necessary as we think for infants with high-grade Vesico-urideral Reflex (VUR)? That's the question we dissect in this thought-provoking episode. We dive into a recent study from the New England Journal of Medicine, which took a close look at the use of continuous antibiotic prophylaxis to prevent the first symptomatic UTI in infants with hi...

Send us Fan Mail Ben and Daphna are dissecting the American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition's latest paper that digs into significant clinical questions regarding TPN use in the NICU for preterm infants. Join us as we put under the microscope topics like the initiation of parental nutrition, the optimum dosage of amino acids, and the impact of altering intralipid composition on g...

Send us Fan Mail What if we told you that scores from a toddler could predict their IQ years later? Join us as we decode this intriguing hypothesis as we navigate the correlation between Bailey III composite scores at 18 to 22 months and the full scale IQ at six to seven years, particularly in children born extremely preterm. We examine how these early scores could be instrumental in predicting ne...

Send us Fan Mail Ready to unlock the secrets of improving neonatal care in children's hospitals? Join us for this riveting episode where we sit down with Dr Jacqueline Evans, Dr Karna Murthy, and Dr Theresa Grover, esteemed members of the Children's Hospital Neonatal Consortium (CHNC). We traverse the inspiring journey of CHNC from its birth in 2006, its tireless efforts to better the ca...

Send us Fan Mail What is the potential impact of delayed cord clamping on severe IVH and neurodevelopmental outcomes? We explore this and more in our latest episode. We kick things off with a deep dive into a riveting paper from the Archives of Disease in Childhood that scrutinizes the approaches to umbilical cord management and their effects on death and neurodevelopmental impairment.  We also di...

Send us Fan Mail Support the show As always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicupodcast@gmail.com. You can also contact the show through Instagram or Twitter, @nicupodcast. Or contact Ben and Daphna directly via their Twitter profiles: @drnicu and @doctordaphnamd. The papers discussed in today's episode are listed and timestamped on the webpage linked b...

Send us Fan Mail Support the show As always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicupodcast@gmail.com. You can also contact the show through Instagram or Twitter, @nicupodcast. Or contact Ben and Daphna directly via their Twitter profiles: @drnicu and @doctordaphnamd. The papers discussed in today's episode are listed and timestamped on the webpage linked b...

Send us Fan Mail Support the show As always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicupodcast@gmail.com. You can also contact the show through Instagram or Twitter, @nicupodcast. Or contact Ben and Daphna directly via their Twitter profiles: @drnicu and @doctordaphnamd. The papers discussed in today's episode are listed and timestamped on the webpage linked b...

Send us Fan Mail This week, we're rolling up our sleeves and discussing the power of personal narratives in shaping healthcare policies. This episode starts off with a riveting exploration of a pivotal HRSA meeting on tribal grounds that triggered a sea-change in the federal perspective. We dissect the report titled, "Making Amends Recommended Strategies and Actions to Improve the Health...

Send us Fan Mail What happens when a passion for education meets the digital world of YouTube? Our guest, Dr. Tala, gives us the inside scoop on how she successfully transitioned from a novice YouTuber to the creator of Tala Talks, a leading online resource for neonatal care. Her journey is a powerful testament to the potential of YouTube as a tool for learning and engagement in the medical field....

Send us Fan Mail Join us for a conversation with Jenn Canvasser and Jae Kim, as we share our profound experiences from the recent NEC symposium. Capturing moments of sheer collaboration and transformative conversations, we shed light on how patient-led organizations shape the narrative at these significant gatherings. In our chat, we also turn the spotlight on the NEC Society's commitment to...

Send us Fan Mail Ever wondered why Necrotizing Enterocolitis (NEC), a disease often surrounded by mystery, is so complex? This episode is sure to pique your curiosity as we sit down with Steve McElroy, a leading expert in the field, to unravel the hidden intricacies of NEC. Steve takes us on a journey of how our comprehension of NEC has transformed over the years, highlighting the role of the gut&...

Send us Fan Mail What happens when you're thrust into the daunting world of Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICUs), with a newborn fighting complex health battles? This is the stark reality Cristal Grogan faced when her son Seth was born in Spain. In our conversation with Cristal, she shares Seth's journey and how they consistently outgrew their services and resources at every stage. Cris...

Send us Fan Mail Discover the power of human milk in our latest engaging conversation with podcast veteran, Amy Hair. We delve into the science behind human milk and its impact on NEC reduction, underscoring the importance of the collective effort to enhance a mother's milk supply and the absolute necessity of arming parents with this knowledge. As Amy and I continue to relive the moments fro...

Send us Fan Mail What if you could transplant the principles of teamwork from sports to the medical field, particularly in neonatology? Join us on a fascinating journey with Jochen Profit as we explore this very idea. Jochen brings a wealth of knowledge to our conversation, drawing from his academic work and personal experiences, as he eloquently compares a NICU team to a sports team. Just as in s...

Send us Fan Mail Are you ready to embark on a journey from a NICU parent to a NICU dietitian? In this gripping conversation, we sit down with Erin Pryor's story, a former NICU parent,  is a testament to the power of personal experiences in shaping professional lives. Erin also offers a sneak peek into her current role with the NEC Society, specifically discussing her work with research initia...

Send us Fan Mail What happens when a grandmother steps into the world of the NICU, not just as a concerned relative but as an integral part of the care team? Leslie Napolitano opens up about her unique journey in this episode. Walking side by side with her daughter, Jen Canvasser, she navigated the labyrinth of this unfamiliar terrain when her grandchild Micah was admitted to the NICU. Leslie shar...

Send us Fan Mail Dr. Karl Sylvester, a renowned pediatric surgeon, professor at Stanford University, and an expert in the field of necrotizing enterocolitis. This episode brims with insights on his groundbreaking research over the last two decades, focusing on the essential role of microbes in the baby's gut, the toxins they produce, and how these might be linked to the development of necroti...

Send us Fan Mail What if you had the power to change the course of a baby's life? In this heartfelt conversation with Steffi and Jocelyn from Emory University, we pull back the curtain on the emotionally charged world of neonatal health, specifically focusing on necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC). We journey together through their personal narratives, as they recount the profound impact of losin...

Send us Fan Mail Prepare your ears for a captivating conversation with  Lily Lou as we traverse the world of advocacy through storytelling. Get a firsthand account of Lily's initial foray into the NEC Symposium — a unique melting pot of human narratives, expert insights, and healthcare providers treating patients with unparalleled compassion. Her experience, she says, was a thing of beauty, a...

Send us Fan Mail Get ready to unravel the enigmatic world of necrotizing enterocolitis with leading pediatrician and director of clinical and translational research on neonatal perinatal medicine, Dr Hala Chaaban. We delve into the intricacies of this condition and discuss why fully understanding it is a continuing challenge. The conversation takes a fascinating turn as we examine the role of dono...

Send us Fan Mail Geoanna Bautista is an assistant professor and neonatologist at UC Davis.  Geoanna's conversation is a testament to the power of collaboration in tackling neonatal diseases. As she highlights, the need to work with peers, stakeholders, and merge the basic scientists and clinical researchers' work is vital. Geoanna's insights on the gut's role in various disease...