National Association of Neonatal Therapists (NANT)

10/28/2025

“Engaging frontline Neonatal Therapists and Neonatal Nurses in partnership as subject matter experts, capitalizing on their expertise to provide education around new products and practices, is a reliable way to spread essential knowledge at the point of care.”

https://neonataltherapists.org/ebp

"Engaging frontline Neonatal Therapists and Neonatal Nurses in partnership as subject matter experts, capitalizing on their expertise to provide education around new products and practices, is a reliable way to spread essential knowledge at the point of care.”

10/28/2025

In neonatal therapy, our impact goes beyond clinical skills. It’s about connecting with each baby and family on a truly human level. 💖👶

Our shared compassion and dedication are what make this work so meaningful.

Let’s keep supporting each other, learning together, and making a difference in the lives of the families we serve.

10/23/2025

🏠 Member Benefit ➡️ Transition From NICU to Home: Key Talking Points for the Neonatal Therapist 📋

Discharge teaching can overwhelm parents with last-minute information. Neonatal Therapists can ease this transition by streamlining their talking points and discharge literature.

Enhance your discharge process with our supportive guide titled, Transition From NICU to Home: Key Talking Points for the Neonatal Therapist. This 8-page resource provides essential guidance for parent education at discharge, covering:

💤 Safe sleep
🕰️ Tummy time
📆 Corrected age
🧠 Developmental milestones
🚼 Early intervention
🦵 Healthy hips
🍼 Feeding
🤱 Calming techniques

Members, get your free copy today in the NANT Hub! Non-members can purchase this invaluable resource below and receive a digital copy via email.

Ensure a smoother transition home for your tiny patients and their families with NANT!



🔗 Get Your Copy: https://neonataltherapists.com/transition-from-nicu-to-home/ 🔗

10/21/2025

With your help, we plan to honor those that have excelled in neonatal therapy research and clinical practice while inspiring future generations of neonatal therapists to do the same. Nominate a colleague for a Neonatal Therapy Excellence Award today!

https://neonataltherapists.org/nant16awardnominations

With your help, we plan to honor those that have excelled in neonatal therapy research and clinical practice while inspiring future generations of neonatal therapists to do the same. Nominate a colleague for a Neonatal Therapy Excellence Award today! 

10/21/2025

🏆 NANT 16 Excellence Awards Are Now Open! 🏆

It’s time to recognize the amazing work happening in neonatal therapy. NANT is accepting nominations for our peer-nominated Excellence Awards to be presented at NANT 16:

💙 Excellence in Clinical Practice – Honoring a therapist making a meaningful impact in NICU care through advanced assessment, intervention, and collaboration with the team.

📚 Excellence in Research – Honoring a therapist whose research has advanced the field of neonatal therapy.

Nominate yourself, a colleague, or both! Celebrate the exceptional contributions of neonatal therapists and their impact on babies and families.

➡️ Submit your nominations today and shine a light on the outstanding work in our community!
https://nantconference.com/excellence-awards/

10/17/2025

No one likes to see an irritable or uncomfortable baby.

In the NICU, when an infant arches their back, cries, or appears distressed, the natural response — from both parents and healthcare teams — is concern. These signs are often attributed to acid reflux (GER), leading many clinicians to consider feeding modifications and/or medication.

But what if acid reflux isn't the real cause of this irritability?

A recent study by Njeh et al. (2024) sheds new light on this common clinical dilemma. In a retrospective analysis of 516 high-risk infants, researchers used 24-hour pH-impedance monitoring to explore the relationship between gastroesophageal reflux and symptoms like arching and irritability.

🔍 Here’s what the researchers found:
• Babies who were more frequently irritable or arching did not have more acid reflux than babies who weren’t.
• In fact, less than 10% of the distressing events were actually linked to acid reflux.
• Instead, these symptoms were more common in babies who:
o Were born prematurely
o Had moderate to severe brain or nervous system injury
o Were fed by mouth during the testing

✨ What this means for NICU care:

Treating babies with acid-suppressing medications based only on symptoms like arching or irritability may not be that helpful in most cases.

Objective testing (like pH-impedance monitoring) can guide decision-making and help identify which infants truly need reflux treatment.

For babies whose symptoms aren’t caused by acid reflux, care teams can focus on developmental support, comforting strategies, and reassuring families — avoiding the risks that come with unnecessary medication.

This study offers strong evidence for a more individualized, evidence-based approach to symptom management in the NICU.

📖 Read the full article here: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpeds.2023.113760

10/15/2025

🌟 New Release: October Featured Course 🌟

Direction Without a Map: Clinical Approach and Considerations for Managing Patients with Rare Diagnoses in the NICU, taught by Diana Hinton, OTR/L, CLC, Lee Ann Sansuchat, PT, DPT, Maria D’Amore, PT, and Courtney Mackert, OTR/L, MOT, CNT, CLC

This course provides guidance for managing rare NICU diagnoses like Pierre Robin Sequence, Osteogenesis Imperfecta, Epidermolysis Bullosa, and other neuromuscular conditions. Learn practical strategies, identify barriers and supports, and gain evidence-based and expert-curated resources for your NICU practice.

💚 Free for Members | $57 for Non-members

✅ Enroll today and strengthen your skills in caring for patients with rare conditions.
https://neonataltherapists.com/courses/direction-without-a-map-clinical-approach-and-considerations-for-managing-patients-with-rare-diagnoses-in-the-nicu/

10/14/2025

🌟 Today’s the Day! 🌟

The Neonatal Therapy Leadership Meetup with Sue Ludwig and Chrysty Sturdivant is happening today at 1:00pm EST! 🎉

There’s still time to register and join us live for an open conversation about leadership, career direction, and navigating roadblocks in the NICU. 💡

✨ Don’t forget: all live participants are entered into a surprise raffle, and every registered attendee will get the recording.

We can’t wait to see you this afternoon! 💙

👉 Register now and join us at 1:00pm EST
🔗 https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_hTLnPTigRUC0d2OHaf2oTg #/registration

10/09/2025

🌟 Need a little NICU inspiration today? 🌟

NANT’s free Neonatal Therapy Infographic is here to brighten your workspace and remind you why we do this important work for babies and families. It highlights core competencies and best practices to keep you motivated every day. 💛👶

Bring some inspiration to your NICU—grab your free infographic now!

📋 Get yours here: https://neonataltherapists.com/

10/07/2025

Four individuals will receive scholarships for the 2026 NANT Conference thanks to our generous donors. Apply now!

https://neonataltherapists.org/nant16scholarships

Apply now for the chance to receive scholarships from our generous donors for NANT 16. Deadline is November 10, 2025.

10/07/2025

🎓 NANT 16 Scholarships Are Now Open! 🎓

We’re making NANT 16 more accessible than ever. Scholarships are now open to help neonatal therapists from the US and around the world attend. Apply today and take your place at this global gathering of neonatal therapy professionals. 💙

Available scholarships include:

✨ Nicholas Glynn Beischel Memorial Scholarship – for neonatal therapists working with infants in the NICU with complex medical, surgical, or congenital conditions.

🌏 NANT Conference International Scholarship – for neonatal therapists living outside the USA.

💛 Ann J. Beischel Scholarship for Family Centered Care – for those improving family-centered care in their NICU.

Don’t miss your chance to attend NANT 16 with tuition covered. Apply here: https://nantconference.com/scholarships/

10/06/2025

💛 Happy National Child Health Day! 💛

Every child deserves the chance to grow strong and healthy. From the tiniest NICU patients to school-age kids, the support, care, and guidance we provide today shapes their tomorrow. 👶➡️🧒

Neonatal therapists play a vital role in giving babies the best start in life, helping them reach their full potential as they grow. Today, we celebrate the journey from NICU care to healthy childhood development. 💙