Pediatrics Critical Care

If your child has an illness or injury that results in your child being in an unstable critical condition, a hospital-based physician with a specialty in pediatric critical care (pediatric intensivist) can be called on to provide the special care that your child needs.

Some conditions that may cause your child to be unstable and critical include the following:

• Severe asthma attack
• Diabetic ketoacidosis
• An overwhelming infection and/or virus, such as severe cases of pneumonia or meningitis
• Serious injuries from accidents (such as cars, bicycles, ATVs, skateboards, etc.)
• Kidney or liver failure
• Crises of cancer or blood disorders

Children who are critically ill require careful monitoring in a pediatric intensive care unit (PICU). Pediatric critical care specialists coordinate the care of these children which is provided by a team of doctors, nurses, and other health care specialists. They use the special medicines or treatments that can only be offered in the PICU.