Melissa Johnson, PhD, a pediatric psychologist with 30 years of experience working in the Newborn Intensive Care Unit at WakeMed in Raleigh, North Carolina, discusses parentsÕ concerns about whether their babies feel pain and what strategies can be used to support their infants. Dr. Johnson shares ways in which parents can directly contribute to their infant’s comfort and recovery.
Melissa Johnson, PhD, received her PhD in psychology from UNC-Chapel Hill in 1980, and worked as a pediatric psychologist until her retirement in 2016. She spent thirty years at WakeMed in Raleigh, NC, where she became a NIDCAP trainer and consulted in the NICU as well as in the follow-up clinic and pediatric intensive care services. Since her retirement, she has stayed involved with the NFI through the Quality Assurance Committee, as well as with several advocacy activities supporting the needs of young children in North Carolina. She is a founding member and past president of the North CAroline Infant/Young Child Mental Health Association.
