Tiniest baby in the country and quintuplet siblings receive life-saving care at Children’s Minnesota |
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Baby Bilal and his four siblings were born 17 weeks early at 23 weeks gestation in March 2024, giving the quintuplets about a 10 percent chance of survival. Despite their seemingly impossible odds, the quintuplets are now home with their family and doing well. Their story was made possible by early referral to maternal-fetal specialists followed by the life-saving expertise of the neonatology program at Children’s Minnesota.
Bilal was the smallest baby of the five, weighing 8 ounces (228 grams). According to the Tiniest Babies Registry, he is the smallest reported surviving infant in the nation, and the second smallest in the world.
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“Babies born extremely premature, like Bilal and his siblings, require very specialized care from an experienced multi-disciplinary team,” said Tara Zamora, MD, medical director of the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at Children’s Minnesota hospital in Minneapolis. “Early referral of high-risk deliveries, delivery at a specialized center like The Mother Baby Center and neonatal care at Children’s Minnesota, can optimize the chances for survival while minimizing morbidity.”
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Hundreds of neonatal experts at Children’s Minnesota have cared for Bilal and his siblings during the past year in the comprehensive, specialized and longitudinal care program that is uniquely designed to recognize and treat the medical challenges of extreme prematurity. This includes growth and nutrition, chronic lung disease, vision and retinopathy, and neurodevelopment with the monitoring and attainment of developmental milestones. The quintuplets will continue to be monitored closely at home through the Children’s Minnesota NICU follow-up clinic for the months and years to come.
Children’s Minnesota neonatology program encompasses the largest high-risk neonatal care program in the Upper Midwest with almost 200 neonatal beds and 500+ neonatal care experts. Read more about the quintuplet’s story here.
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Study: Simulation-based training reduces anxiety for caregivers of infants with heart shunt |
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Children’s Minnesota cardiovascular intensive care unit nurse Jamie Heil, BSN, RN, CCRN, CBC, was a contributing author of a recently published study that concluded training parents and other caregivers with hands-on learning improves their skills and confidence when caring for an infant with shunt-dependent cardiac physiology at home. The special curriculum uses a modified simulation-based mastery learning (SBML), so caregivers are more comfortable independently caring for their medically complex child.
“We offer innovative, evidence-based care at the cardiovascular care center,” said Heil, caregiver simulation program instructor. “The success of the caregiver simulation program at Children’s Minnesota has led to the creation of other simulation-based caregiver trainings, including for tracheotomy-dependent kids. We’re always looking for new ways to improve the care experience for our patients and their families.”
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| Jamie Heil, BSN, RN, CCRN, CBC |
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Read more about the cardiovascular program at Children’s Minnesota here.
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Two Children’s Minnesota nurses receive cancer survivorship research funding |
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Two nurse researchers from the cancer and blood disorders program at Children’s Minnesota, Ana Brown, BSN, RN, CPHON, CCRP, nurse case manager and Julia Gourde, APRN, CNP, CPON, co-program director of survivorship, have been selected to receive funding from the new Hematology, Oncology Point of Care through Survivorship Research Endowment from the Pine Tree Apple Classic Fund. The $1 million endowment fund was established in 2024 to support research by nurses and advanced practice practitioners aimed at addressing the unique long-term physical, mental and social challenges patients can face months or years after completing cancer treatment.
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Brown and Gourde’s projects will focus on the following areas:
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Brown’s study, “Feasibility Pilot: Handheld Ambulatory PBMT Therapy in Mucositis Prevention and Treatment,” she seeks to determine if handheld red-light therapy devices can feasibly be used in an ambulatory setting to prevent mouth sores, infection, pain and treatment delays, and avoid additional hospitalizations in pediatric patients receiving chemotherapy.
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Gourde’s study, “Bone Health and Quality of Life in Young Adult Survivors of High-Risk Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia,” will examine the factors that preserve bone health and function during and after leukemia treatment.
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| Ana Brown, BSN, RN, CPHON, CCRP |
| Julia Ann Gourde, APRN, CNP, CPON |
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Children’s Minnesota is a leader in providing care to children, adolescents, and young adults with cancer and blood disorders. Learn more about the latest research and clinical trials available for your patients here.
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New continuing education opportunity: Legacy Lecture Series |
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We are excited to announce a new continuing education opportunity, the Legacy Lecture Series.
The Legacy Lecture Series is a curated series of lectures made possible by the generous funding of our donors. Everyone is welcome to attend, including Children’s Minnesota employees, professional staff members, community providers and community members. All lectures in the series are accredited. The full accreditation statement is on the event registration page.
Lectures will typically take place monthly, June through November, from noon – 1 p.m. at the Children’s Minnesota Minneapolis Education Center. Lunch will be provided.
Mark your calendars: The Stanley Leonard, MD, Mental Health Lecture, will kick off the series on Monday, June 2.
Visit the series' page for more information on the series, including dates, speakers and the registration links.
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