Infant Mental Health (IMH) in the Intensive Care Unit: Considerations for the Infant, the Family and the Staff

Abstract

Infant mental health is an emerging evidence based field that enhances infant parent relationships and provides opportunities for early infant regulation that optimizes later social and emotional development. Infant mental health in intensive care settings is an approach that emphasizes the importance of helping manage stressful events for infants, parents, and staff, and supports early relationship development using reflective practice. Educational and experiential preparation for multidisciplinary IMH providers specific to work in infant intensive care is described.