From Medical Care to Parental Embrace: Advancing Family-Centered Care for Premature Infants in Greece

Guest article by Dr. Eleni Vavouraki, co-founder and president of the Greek parent and patient organization Ilitominon.

GFCNI Chairwoman Silke Mader opened the symposium with a welcome address, underscoring the importance of addressing preterm birth through a holistic lens. She emphasized that high-quality neonatal care must extend beyond medical treatment to include the mental health and wellbeing of the entire family.

The keynote address was delivered by Dr. Eleni Vavouraki, President of Ilitominon, who highlighted the European Standards of Care for Newborn Health as a benchmark for excellence. She stressed the importance of parental involvement in decision-making, interdisciplinary collaboration, and practices that humanize neonatal intensive care units.

Dr. Margarita Papasavva, pediatrician and neonatologist, explored the emotional and practical challenges families face from the moment of premature birth. She emphasized the need for clear, consistent information, psychological support, and interventions that strengthen the parent-infant bond.

Neonatal physiotherapist Pani Pantelidis, specialized in early intervention, focused on neurodevelopmental and family-centered care. Her presentation addressed infant behavior regulation, sleep patterns, kangaroo care, and the role of early therapeutic interventions in supporting healthy development.

Child and adolescent psychiatrist Dr. Iouliani Koullourou spoke in depth about the trauma associated with prematurity, affecting both infants and parents. She highlighted the importance of early recognition of trauma and the provision of appropriate support within the NICU environment.

Speech-language therapist Tasos Mokas, specializing in sensory integration and neurodevelopment in premature infants, addressed common feeding challenges. He discussed strategies to optimize the care environment and emphasized close collaboration between healthcare professionals and parents to foster positive feeding experiences.

A particularly moving moment was the honorary award presented by “G. Hatzikosta” Hospital to the President of Ilitominon, recognizing her long-standing and unwavering commitment to preterm infants and their families.

For the first time, the symposium brought together Members of Parliament from the Ioannina region, representatives of the Region of Epirus, senior officials from primary and secondary healthcare, leaders of medical and midwifery associations, schoolteachers, and parents. This broad participation placed prematurity and its long-term public health implications firmly on the national agenda.

By uniting healthcare professionals, policymakers, educators, and families, the symposium marked an important step forward for family-centered neonatal care in Greece. It opened a new chapter in addressing the long-term needs of premature infants and their families through collaboration, evidence-based practice, and shared responsibility.