Supporting Premature Babies: How the F-Words Are Changing Neonatal Care?
What if we looked beyond the diagnosis?
Supporting premature babies in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) often centers around risks: brain bleeds, chronic lung disease, developmental delays. But what if we changed the focus? What if, instead of only naming diagnoses, we talked about what a child can do and will one day become?
That’s the promise of the F-words in child development, a family-centered framework revolutionizing how we communicate and care for preterm infants.
Why language matters in the NICU?
Medical staff often speak in acronyms: BPD, NEC, IVH. These terms can alienate or alarm parents. But research : including the Canadian Parents’ Voice Project, clearly shows that parents want practical, hopeful, and honest insights into their child’s real-life potential.
What they value most? Learning about function, development, and what daily life might look like : not just labels.
Introducing the F-Words : Six dimensions of development
Based on the WHO’s biopsychosocial model, the F-words reframe how we talk about childhood development:
- Functioning – What the child can do and how they interact with their world
- Family – The central role caregivers play in supporting development
- Fitness – Physical and mental well-being
- Fun – Activities and joy that enrich childhood
- Friends – Social inclusion and relationships
- Future – Hopes, goals, and long-term planning
Mia’s story: From fear to future
Imagine Mia, born at 23 weeks. Her parents are told about brain bleeds and severe disability. But what if they also heard:
“Mia may need support to walk or communicate, but she can live a rich, joyful life with the right tools and love.”
The F-words provide a framework to balance honesty with hope, helping families stay engaged and optimistic without ignoring the realities.
How prenatal consultations can support parents?
Prenatal meetings often focus on medical risks. While necessary, these consultations rarely prepare parents for NICU life or their vital role in their baby’s development.
Introducing the F-words early helps parents understand not just what might go wrong : but what they can do, how to connect with their baby, and how to build resilience as a family.
A new mindset in neonatal care
Prematurity is not a disease. It’s a different beginning to a lifelong journey. The F-words encourage clinicians to talk about developmental milestones, not just medical issues, recognizing each child’s unique timeline and potential.
This reframing helps parents understand what is typical for a baby at their gestational age, and what support might be needed along the way.
Helpful Resources for Parents and Professionals
Final Thoughts: Let’s talk about possibility
Supporting premature babies means more than delivering medical care — it means giving families language, tools, and confidence to embrace their child’s journey.
By shifting from diagnosis to development, and from deficits to strengths, we build a more inclusive and compassionate future for every baby — one F-word at a time.
In Conclusion: A Call to Think Differently
NICU teams have a unique opportunity to rethink the way we speak with families. By shifting from diagnosis-entered communication to development-focused dialogue : using the F-words as our guide, we help families not only cope, but connect, grow, and thrive.
Disability does not mean a life without quality. With the right tools, language, and support, our youngest patients, and their families, can imagine and create futures filled with love, learning, and meaning.
Want to learn more ? Visit : https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0146000525000795