NICU Follow-Up Clinic Marks 10 Years of Supporting Children and Families
By Office of the President | Sep 22, 2026
Downstate’s Neurodevelopmental NICU Follow-Up Clinic celebrates 10 years of caring for infants and children at risk for developmental challenges. Since opening in April 2016, the clinic has provided nearly 1,800 patient visits.
Led by Lawrence Fordjour, M.D., Visiting Clinical Associate Professor and Director, and Vadim Bronshtein, M.D., Co-Director, the clinic supports infants after they leave the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Premature and medically complex newborns may develop neurological, feeding, growth, behavioral, learning, or other concerns over time. The clinic connects NICU care with pediatric primary care, developmental services, and community resources.
Physicians, psychologists, occupational therapists, social workers, and other professionals work with families to monitor each child’s development, identify concerns early, and coordinate services. The team addresses motor development, feeding, sensory processing, communication, behavior, and daily functioning.
The clinic’s partnership with Downstate’s Occupational Therapy Program strengthens patient care and professional education. It also provides clinical training for fellows, residents, psychology trainees, occupational therapy students, and other health professionals. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the clinic expanded telemedicine to maintain care while reducing transportation, childcare, and scheduling barriers. Lessons from that experience continue to inform how the team serves families.
Many people have shaped the clinic during its first decade. Joan H. Hittleman, Ph.D., Professor of Pediatrics, has provided developmental assessments and guidance to families since the clinic opened, with support from Dauthy Catabois.
Brigitte Desport, DPS, OTR/L, BCP, ATP, Interim Dean and Associate Professor in the School of Health Professions, has advanced the clinic’s work in functional development, sensory integration, positioning, and family education while connecting clinical care with occupational therapy education.
Meseret Tena, M.D., MPH, FAAP, Clinical Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, and Anika Martin, M.D., have strengthened continuity between developmental follow-up and primary pediatric care. Social workers Nicole Camerano and Stephanie Rafanelli help families navigate services, community resources, and the demands of caring for children with complex developmental and medical needs.
The clinic also recognizes the nurses, therapists, fellows, residents, students, and administrative staff who support its work. After 10 years, the Neurodevelopmental NICU Follow-Up Clinic continues to allow our youngest patients to grow, develop, and thrive. For their families, the clinic offers something equally important: expert guidance, steady support, and hope for what comes next.
For more information about our services and to schedule an appointment: Pediatrics Patient Care
Congratulations, Drs. Fordjour and Bronshtein! We look forward to celebrating with you and to the positive changes we can expect 10 years from now!