Infant Mental Health with High Risk Populations

Abstract

The importance of the attachment between an infant and his or her primary caregiver is well established. However, there has been less emphasis in the literature on the critically important relationship between healthcare providers and caregivers of critically ill infants and young children, and particularly the relationships between providers and caregivers who are considered high risk. It is these very parents whom are often most in need of connection and support but perceived as “difficult” and thus receive less. This article addresses the role that nursing and medical teams play in helping to establish positive relational experiences between high risk caregivers and their infants, and how the inclusion of parents and families supports ongoing success beyond the transition home.