Skip to nav Skip to content
Newborn premature baby in the NICU and sweet nurse trying to calm him.

Neuro-NICU

Contact Us

For more information about our neuro-NICU, please contact Heather Murphy, NP at (757) 668-6738.

Related Services

The Neuro-NICU, part of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at CHKD, serves newborns who need advanced, specialized care for neurological conditions. We are the largest and most sophisticated NICU in Southeastern Virginia and the only NICU in the region with a dedicated Neuro-NICU team committed to improving the survival rate and development of infants with neurological conditions.

Your Team of Experts

Our multidisciplinary team includes highly trained neonatologists, pediatric neurologists, pediatric neurosurgeons, and developmental therapists who work with you and your child to prevent or treat brain conditions. You are always involved in your child’s care and can participate in one-on-one discussions as well as daily rounds with your child’s care team.

Focused Care for Neurological Conditions

Your baby’s brain is incredibly complex and changes rapidly in the first weeks and months of life. Our team optimizes brain health, treating conditions such as:

  • Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy (Brain damage caused by lack of oxygen) 
  • Intraventricular and Intracranial Hemorrhage (Brain bleeds)
  • Hydrocephalus (Fluid on the brain)
  • Neonatal Seizures and Epilepsy Seizures
  • Congenital brain malformations
  • Stroke 
  • Neuromuscular disorders, such as Spinal Muscular Atrophy
  • Metabolic diseases
  • Microcephaly
  • Vein malformations in the brain 
  • Spina bifida

Leading Edge Care for Infants

In addition to outstanding care for your child, our teams are also working to improve care for all babies with neurological conditions through research. In particular, our team is focusing on the use of new medicines and therapeutic hypothermia to treat oxygen deprivation and brain injuries that can occur during before or during labor. This means your child has access to hard-to-find treatments and that their care could change the future for children across the country.

Room for Your Family

The NICU at CHKD consists of 50 private rooms as well as 10 rooms with 2 beds each so you can bond with your baby and rest during your visits. Our team strives to help you feel comfortable, teach you about your child’s care and support you throughout your child’s NICU stay.

Comprehensive Treatment

Our staff works together to prevent and treat neurological conditions through standardized care. We ensure that we follow the best, evidence-based methods for preventing brain injuries in pre-term babies and monitor your child with MRI, amplitude integrated EEG, Video EEG, and other tools to ensure their brain is healing. Our staff also offers long-term care for neurological conditions through our Neonatal Follow-Up Clinic and occupational, speech and physical therapy. We are here to care for your child in the hospital and as they grow older.

For More Information

For more information about our neuro-NICU, please contact Heather Murphy, NP at (757) 668-6738.

Find a Pediatrician, Specialist or Surgeon in CHKD's Network

Through our hospital, outpatient clinics, and practices, CHKD Health System gives you access to almost 300 pediatricians, specialists and surgeons specially trained in treating the unique needs of young patients.