The Gold Standard for Excellence in Newborn Individualized Developmental Care

What All Newborn Infants and Their Families Deserve

Newborn Individualized Developmental Care and Assessment Program (NIDCAP)

The Newborn Individualized Developmental Care and Assessment Program (NIDCAP), originated in 1984 by Heidelise Als, PhD, is the only comprehensive, family centered, evidence-based approach to newborn developmental care. NIDCAP focuses on adapting the newborn intensive care nursery to the unique neurodevelopmental strengths and goals of each newborn cared for in this medical setting. These adaptations encompass the physical environment and its components, as well as, the care and treatment provided for the infant and his or her family, their life-long nurturers and supporters.

Assessment of Preterm Infants’ Behavior (APIB)

The Assessment of Preterm Infants’ Behavior (APIB) (Als et al., 1982) is a comprehensive and systematic research based neurobehavioral approach for the assessment of preterm and fullterm newborns. The APIB provides an invaluable diagnostic resource for the advanced level clinician in support of developmental care provision in a nursery.

NIDCAP Nursery Program

The NIDCAP Nursery Program provides a comprehensive resource for the self-evaluation by a nursery system of its strengths and goals for integration of NIDCAP principles into all aspects of their functioning. External review and validation by the NFI may be sought when a nursery feels it has achieved this goal. Successful NIDCAP Nursery Certification, the ultimate goal, denotes distinction in the provision of a consistently high level of NIDCAP care for infants and their families, as well as for the staff, in a developmentally supportive environment. Nurseries that have achieved this recognition serve as a model and an inspiration to others.