- financial assistance to cover the travel costs of parents living outside of Prague during the hospitalisation of their child
- financial assistance to cover the accommodation expenses of parents living outside of Prague during the hospitalisation of their child.
During care for premature babies, a great emphasis is placed on getting the mother involved in the care of their child. The aim is to support the emotional bond that helps develop and maintain lactation. Mothers are first encouraged to take seemingly small steps such as caressing their child while they are being changed, even when the child is on a ventilator. ‘Kangaroo care’ begins once the child’s condition improves, providing many physiological and psychological benefits for the newborn such as a stabilised heart rate, regular breathing, the prevention of stress, longer periods of sleep, the reduction of crying, and many others.
However, this procedure requires the daily presence of the mother or both parents at the centre where their premature baby is hospitalised (often for up to 4 months)
- financial assistance for the child’s special nutritional needs
- financial assistance for the child’s special hygiene needs
- financial assistance for medical aids.
- Assistance in providing psychological care for the family of a preterm child
Families with a prematurely born or disabled baby find themselves in a difficult and unexpected situation. Their values and needs change substantially, and sometimes family members even take on different roles. Families typically struggle to cope with this situation and are forced to seek professional help from a psychologist.
- Help in securing rehabilitation care for a premature baby
Rehabilitation is an essential part of comprehensive care for premature babies, as it helps with their proper psychomotoric development.
- Help in securing follow-up care such as spa stays
The Foundation’s administrative board decides on the specific form and amount of assistance. Doc. MD. Zbynek Straňák, PhD., MBA, the head of the Neonatal Department at the Institute for the Care of Mother and Child in Prague, is the chairman of the Foundation’s administrative board.