Perinatal social work and the family of the newborn intensive care infant.

The birth of a premature and/or sick infant challenges even the most stable, intact families. If the baby is admitted to the Newborn Intensive Care Unit (NICU), the family is further challenged by the environment in which the infant is being treated. This article examines the most frequent causes for admission to NICU, common family reactions to such a birth and admission, social work assessment and intervention used in work with families of such patients.