Driscoll Children's Hospital Neonatology

For consultation, appointments and assistance: (800) 551-6428 (NICU)

Whether it’s freckles, brown eyes, or dimples…all babies are born unique and different.

At Driscoll Children's Hospital, we’re different too,
and proud of it!

Our Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit has cared for more than 20,000 premature and critical babies, offering state-of-the-art services and programs not available any where else in South Texas.

Around-the-Clock, In-House Continuous Care
Driscoll’s Neonatologists are in the hospital, not just on-call like many other hospitals, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and are ready to respond in seconds.

Pediatric Support Staff
Children are not small adults, and their small bodies require specially trained health care professionals who care exclusively for children, day in and day out. Pediatric critical care nurses, pediatric respiratory therapists, pediatric dieticians, and even pediatric surgeons and pediatric anestheseologists make up the entire Driscoll team.

The differences are clear, and easy to see.

Driscoll Children's Hospital…We’re Here for the Kids!

Description of Services:

NICU baby with parents Driscoll Children's Hospital and our staff share in the excitement that new parent’s have at the arrival of their newborn, but also realize that being admitted to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) can be a confusing and frightening time. We have a staff of dedicated, caring, and compassionate medical professionals who nurture each baby, and provide the best treatment options, information, and support for the families here.

Our Level III NICU cares for newborns and infants for a variety of reasons including prematurity (carried less than 37 weeks), respiratory distress, infections, birth defects, and other illnesses. The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Driscoll Children's Hospital is licensed for 41 beds and is the only hospital in Corpus Christi staffed by Neonatologists in the hospital 24 hours a day/7 days a week. Additionally, we have a support staff of nurses, dietitians, surgeons, anesthesiologists, and more who are all specially trained to care for the tiniest of babies.

Driscoll Children's Hospital's Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) is licensed for 41 beds and is staffed by neonatologists from Neonatology services and supported by pediatric subspecialists. Services provided are: Picture of a baby in the neonatal intensive care unit

High frequency ventilation
Nitric oxide
Surfactant therapy

Other coordinated services include:

Transport team (fixed wing / helicopter / ground transportation)
Full-time social worker and discharge planner
Breastfeeding facilities and lactation specialist
Rooming-in facility for pre-discharge

Developmental Care

Physical therapist
Occupational therapist
Feeding and swallowing specialist

Outreach Education

Neonatal resuscitation classes
PCEP program
Participation in Vermont-Oxford trials (patients outcomes study)

Contact Information:

Patricia Ramsay, MD
Director, Neonatology

Navnitrai Dave, MD
Neonatology

Mohammed Zia-Ulla, MD
Neonatology

Drifa Freysdottir, MD
Neonatology

Oluyemisi Oyafemi, MD
Neonatology

Shelley C. Springer, MD
Neonatology

Medical Director (361) 694-6232
NICU (361) 694-5335
NICU (fax) (361) 694-5091

Driscoll Children's Hospital Neonatology

Description of Services:

Other coordinated services include:

Developmental Care

Outreach Education

Contact Information:

Further Reading

For Patients and Parents

Additional Resources