CLEVELAND — A Northeast Ohio hospital system is working to make sure parents can feel comfortable during their most stressful time.
Cleveland Clinic Children's has been offering up bedside web cameras for the last several years so parents can monitor their babies in the NICU.
New research shows these cameras are making a tremendous difference for parents struggling at home.
The technology has been a game changer, providing peace of mind and comfort to those who feel helpless.
They're able to log in to an app and check on their children when they can't be at the hospital.
Francis and Jennelyn Manaligod say every day is a blessing, playing with their beloved 3-year-old son Liam.
"There are times that we thought--I thought, personally, he's not gonna make it. But through prayers and through God, he's here," Jennelyn Manaligod of Parma Heights said.
Liam was born at just 22 weeks and five days. The Manaligods say he was roughly the size of a pop can.
He spent 10 months in the NICU at Cleveland Clinic Children's and then rehab before ever coming home.
Crib-side web cameras helped alleviate some of their stress—allowing the Manaligods to track his progress and see how he was sleeping, eating, and breathing when they were at home.
"It helped me in many ways, especially on the time COVID hit. They don't allow us to stay that long," Manaligod said.
The 87 web cameras found at each 87 NICU bedside are bridging the gap and truly helping parents cope, according to a new Cleveland Clinic study.
"They were more useful to parents who were undergoing mental distress, for example, depression. So parents with depression came into the unit in-person less than the parents who did not have depression," Dr. Anirudha Das, Cleveland Clinic Children's Neonatologist said.
It's critical as most babies will spend an average of three months in the NICU, according to Das.
The study revealed those who lived farther away, those in lower socioeconomic areas, and those experiencing mental distress, like postpartum depression, used the webcams more often.
In the second week of their infant's stay, parents logged in to the app on an average of 94% of the days they were not able to visit.
"It just shows that the webcams are very useful. And the ability of having webcams for parents is immense," Das said.
The Manaligods say they're eternally grateful for the devices, and they want all parents to never give up hope.
"Emotionally it helped me a lot," Manaligod said.
The webcams are a mainstay at the Cleveland Clinic Children's.
Das says a large part of this study also showed that making sure the parents are offered counseling and support services is vital, so they're well taken care of to actually take care of their babies.
As for Liam, he's still recovering, but his parents saying he's making major strides thanks to the doctors and nurses.
