High Risk Infant Follow-up Clinic

Contact: Curt Bennett, For appointments call 206-598-9348

Core Function: Clinical Services

The High Risk Infant Follow-up (HRIF) clinic was established in 1977 to provide developmental follow-up of children from birth to age 8 who are designated as high risk due to prematurity and/or low birth weight or prenatal exposure to drugs. The goal of the clinic is to provide early identification and referral for early intervention for the neurodevelopmental and neurobehavioral problems associated with prematurity, drug exposure and other biomedical and environmental risk factors.

Each year about 400 clients visit the HRIF clinic to receive diagnostic and treatment services. The average age of these HRIF clients is 2.4 years and the majority are referred to CHDD by University of Washington Medical Center. The clinic also conducts long-term follow-up clinical research concerning neonatal outcomes, complications, and treatment results.

The HRIF clinic provides an ideal setting for interdisciplinary training. Approximately 25 trainees representing the disciplines of developmental pediatrics, psychology, audiology, nutrition, occupational therapy, and physical therapy participate in training each year. Continuing education presentations regarding the outcomes of low birth weight infants are delivered to local, state, and national audiences variously comprised of health care professionals, early interventionists, special educators, parents, and interdisciplinary trainees.

University of Washington • Center on Human Development and Disability Box 357920 • Seattle WA 98195-7920 USA • 206-543-7701 • chdd@u.washington.edu