National Association of Neonatal Therapists (NANT)

06/24/2025

You spend so much of your time inside the walls of a hospital. You may drive to work in the dark, and then rush back to your car after a day of caring for fragile babies, frantically late for the people who need you at home – every single day, month, and year. Weeks may go by, and you forget to even look up at the sky.

https://neonataltherapists.org/summer

You spend so much of your time inside the walls of a hospital. You may drive to work in the dark, and then rush back to your car after a day of caring for fragile babies, frantically late for the people who need you at home – every single day, month, and year. Weeks may go by, and you forget to ev...

06/23/2025

🌟 Team Spotlight: Ginger, NANT Clinical Advisor for Speech-Language Pathology 🌟

Meet Ginger — a steady, encouraging presence behind the scenes and a trusted voice in our NANT community.

As Clinical Advisor for Speech-Language Pathology, Ginger brings a deep commitment to supporting both the babies and families in the NICU, and the therapists who serve them.

💬 “What I love most about working with NANT is being surrounded by others who share the same passion. We all face the challenge of balancing care for babies and families with the systems we work in—and the NANT team is here to help others find that balance.”

Ginger especially enjoys projects that support moms and babies, improve feeding outcomes, and encourage professional growth among her peers.

When she’s not supporting the field, she enjoys:
🧵 Quilting
📚 Historical fiction
👶 Her four adorable grandkids
✈️ Traveling when she can

We’re grateful for the knowledge, kindness, and dedication she brings to our team and this field.

06/20/2025

Social-Emotional Benefits of Parental Voice in the NICU 💬👶

If you’ve been in the NICU for any length of time, you might recall the assumption that talking to an infant during cares was considered overstimulating. Certainly, some vocalizations can elicit a stress response, but in general human voices are essential for language and social emotional development. There is a growing body of literature to highlight the benefits of speaking to babies in the NICU, especially the use of parental voice(s).

What are the latest findings on this topic?

👁️‍🗨️ Face-to-face engagement and parent vocal contact have been linked with early social development. Click here to read the article.
🗣️ Short-term parent-driven language enrichment interventions for preterm babies have been linked to increased adult word counts and conversational turns. Learn more about this study here.
📖 For an update on reading in the NICU, click here to read more about the SENSE—Supporting and Enhancing NICU Sensory Experiences.

06/19/2025

🎉 Big news from the NANT community! 🎉

We’re thrilled to share that our President and Founder, Sue Ludwig, was just featured in Forbes in an article titled 6 Books To Transform How You Lead And Communicate.

Sue’s book, Tiny Humans, Big Lessons, was highlighted for its honest, grounded approach to leadership—drawing wisdom from her years as a neonatal therapist and reminding us all what truly matters.

The article reflects what we already know: Sue leads with heart, clarity, and purpose—and she continues to inspire not just neonatal therapists, but leaders in every field.

💛 One of Sue’s greatest passions is creating more seats at more tables—ensuring neonatal therapists are seen, heard, and valued across diverse spaces, both within and beyond healthcare. Feel free to share with a friend or teammate who could use this kind of perspective.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/serenitygibbons/2025/06/12/6-books-to-transform-how-you-lead-and-communicate/

Link in Bio

06/19/2025

Juneteenth is a moment to pause, remember, and honor the significance of freedom.

It’s a time to reflect on our shared history and continue learning, listening, and working toward a more just and inclusive future.

06/18/2025

We are so excited to see Tiny Humans, Big Lessons featured in Forbes! Be sure to check out the article and her book if you haven’t already! Congratulations Sue Ludwig!

Great communicators tend to be effective leaders, and vice versa. Use these six books to align these two important strengths at work and at home.

06/18/2025

🎓 June Featured Course: Clinical Bedside Feeding Assessments in the NICU

This 14.5-hour course provides a clear, evidence-based process for completing bedside feeding and swallowing evaluations in the NICU. With a focus on the whole infant and family experience, you'll learn to recognize how anatomy, physiology, and neurology affect feeding—and how to support caregivers along the way.

📚 Taught by: Louisa Ferrara-Gonzalez, PhD, CCC-SLP, BCS-S, CNT, NTMTC & Jenny Reynolds, PhD(c), CCC-SLP, CNT, BCS-S, CLC
🎯 For: OT, PT, SLP, RN, and other neonatal professionals
🎯 Level: Intermediate

Gain practical strategies you can apply right away—while strengthening your foundation in neonatal feeding assessments.

https://neonataltherapists.com/courses/clinical-bedside-feeding-assessments-in-the-neonatal-intensive-care-unit-nicu/

06/16/2025

📣 Today’s the day!

If you’ve been thinking about joining the Ignite or Launch programs, now is the time—registration closes tonight.

Whether you're looking to build a strong foundation in neonatal therapy or ready to grow as a leader in your career and life, both programs offer meaningful support, expert guidance, and a thoughtful path forward.

Don’t miss your chance to join.

🕛 Registration closes at midnight!
🔗 https://neonataltherapists.com/courses/

06/15/2025

Today, we’re honoring all dads, father figures, and those who show up with care, strength, and love—especially in the NICU.

Whether you're comforting your newborn, supporting your partner, or holding it together when things feel uncertain, what you do matters more than you know.

We see you. We appreciate you.

Happy Father’s Day from all of us at NANT.

06/13/2025

🔍 Looking at assessments one at a time can be helpful—but combining them over time can tell you so much more.

In this Ignite clip, hear how serial assessments, when used alongside imaging or other tools like the Bayley or TIMP, can provide a clearer picture and stronger predictive value for your patients.

📹 Watch the full video to learn how to make the most of the tools you’re already using.

🗓️ Registration for Ignite closes June 16.
If you’ve been thinking about it, now’s the time to jump in.

🔗 https://igniteneonatalmentoringprogram.com/

06/12/2025

Ignite is better together.

If you’ve been thinking about joining the Ignite Program, consider doing it with your colleagues. When 3 or more NANT Members register together, you each receive 10% off.

Learn alongside friends and teammates, support each other, and bring back tools you can use together in your NICU.

This 10-month mentoring program is designed for OTs, PTs, and SLPs who are looking for trusted guidance and expert education in neonatal therapy.

Ready to take this step—with your people by your side?

📅 Registration closes June 16.
🔗 https://igniteneonatalmentoringprogram.com/ to learn more and register.

06/11/2025

The NANT 16 Call for Abstracts is officially OPEN! 📝

Have a clinical insight, research study, or program approach to share with the neonatal therapy community? This is your chance.
NANT 16 is the only international conference dedicated solely to neonatal OTs, PTs, and SLPs—and your work could be part of it.

We’re looking forward to hearing from you.
📍 NANT 16 takes place April 16–18, 2026 in Arlington, TX.

Submit your abstract starting today!
https://nantconference.com/call-for-abstracts/