Pediatric Emergency and Critical Care

Conditions and situations commonly handled by our pediatric critical care team include:

Acute kidney injury

Rapid loss of kidney function within hours or days. Common causes in children include illnesses, a blockage in the urinary tract, or exposure to certain toxins (such as heavy metals or insect venom).

Heart diseases

Conditions that affect the heart, including congenital defects (such as holes in the heart or leaky valves), swollen heart muscle tissue, or irregular heartbeats.

Infectious diseases

Children with severe or life-threatening symptoms from a viral, bacterial, or other infection may require monitoring and treatment in the PICU until their condition improves.

Intestinal disorders

Diseases and infections that affect the digestive system, which may interfere with a child’s ability to retain fluids or obtain enough nutrition from food.

Liver disorders

Sudden loss of liver function (liver failure) can be life-threatening and cause a wide range of symptoms, including abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting, yellowed skin (jaundice), a swollen belly, tremors, and more.

Respiratory problems

Illnesses or infections that impair a child’s ability to breathe normally or obtain enough oxygen from breathing.

Surgical recovery

Often, children who have recently had major surgery will require a period of monitoring and care in the PICU before being cleared to return home.

Trauma and serious injuries

Including broken bones, burns, head injuries, or injuries to internal organs caused by falling, car crashes, or other sudden impacts.

Some of the treatments and services we provide to children in the PICU include:

Continuous dialysis

This machine takes over a child’s kidney function, providing continuous, 24-hour blood filtering while your child recovers from an acute kidney injury.

Diagnostic testing

Advanced imaging and testing capabilities to help doctors quickly identify and address emerging problems, including in unborn children (in-utero).

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy

Children lie comfortably in a pressurized chamber filled with pure oxygen. This allows their lungs to gather significantly more oxygen than when breathing normally.

Intercranial pressure monitoring

A device that measures pressure on nerves and blood vessels inside the skull, which allows doctors to respond quickly to protect brain tissue and prevent or treat serious complications (such as seizures, stroke, or neurological damage) if pressure gets too high.

Mechanical ventilation

Machines that either help a child breathe, or fully take over the breathing process temporarily to ensure they get enough oxygen in their lungs and blood. Advanced therapies include high-frequency oscillatory ventilation, a technique that keeps air sacs in the lungs open continuously (and may be safer or more effective than traditional breathing machines in some cases).

Nutritional support

Including everything from feeding tubes (to get food into the digestive system) and IV feeding (to deliver nutrients directly to the bloodstream) to guiding parents on how to help their children learn to eat effectively.

Pain management

Our team makes every effort to ensure your child is as comfortable as possible in the PICU, with therapies and strategies to minimize pain and anxiety (including sedation if necessary).

Surgical care

Some surgical procedures can be performed directly in the PICU.

Conditions and situations commonly handled by the NICU team include:

Acute kidney injury

Rapid loss of kidney function within hours or days. Common causes in newborns include genetic disorders, a blockage in the urinary tract, or illness.

Anemia

When the bloodstream doesn’t have enough healthy red blood cells, reducing its ability to supply oxygen and remove carbon dioxide from tissues.

Asphyxia

Severe lack oxygen in the body, which may be caused by anemia, infections, complications during pregnancy, or other factors.

Cancer

Some cancers may already be present at birth, including neuroblastomas (tumors that develop in immature nerve cells).

Congenital birth defects

Including holes in the heart, respiratory problems, nerve disorders, and other conditions that are present at birth.

Diabetic ketoacidosis

When a newborn’s body doesn’t produce enough insulin, it starts to break down body fats, which can cause a dangerous buildup of acids called ketones in the bloodstream.

Encephalitis

Swelling in the brain, which can lead to breathing problems, seizures, altered consciousness, or other symptoms. In newborns, this is often caused by complications that prevent the baby from getting enough oxygen in the womb or during or delivery.

Heart conditions

Including holes in the heart, heart valve problems, and other conditions that prevent the heart from pumping enough oxygen-rich blood to the body.

Infectious diseases

Infections can be particularly dangerous for newborns, who do not yet have fully developed immune systems.

Jaundice

Yellowish skin and eyes caused by buildup of a substance called bilirubin in the blood. Mild jaundice is very common in newborns, but moderate to severe jaundice may require treatment to prevent complications.

Premature birth

Babies born before 37 weeks have an increased risk of health problems and may require a period of care in the NICU before they are healthy and strong enough to go home.

Retinopathy of prematurity

Premature infants are often born with underdeveloped retinas in their eyes. While development usually proceeds normally after birth, there is an increased risk of complications that could lead to vision loss.

Seizures

Sudden disruption in brain activity, which often causes sudden and uncontrolled movements (such as eye fluttering, bicycling limb movements, or chewing motions) in newborns.

Surgical recovery

Newborns receive monitoring and care in the NICU while recovering after surgery, including heart and brain procedures.

Some of the treatments and services we provide include:

Breastfeeding coaching

Lactation consultants help new moms and their babies develop the skills and confidence they need for successful feeding by the time they leave the NICU.

Continuous dialysis

A special dialysis machine filters your baby’s blood constantly throughout the day and night, taking over for underdeveloped or dysfunctional kidneys.

Diagnostic testing

Our experts use sophisticated diagnostic tools to quickly diagnose conditions in children (including those still in the womb) and guide treatment decisions.

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO)

A life support device that takes over for the heart and lungs by removing blood from your baby’s body, adding oxygen and removing carbon dioxide, and returning it to the body.

Inhaled nitrous oxide therapy (iNO)

When nitrous oxide is used alongside a mechanical ventilator, it can widen the blood vessels in a baby’s lungs and allow them to gather more oxygen.

Mechanical ventilation

Machines that either help a newborn breathe or fully take over the breathing process temporarily to ensure they get enough oxygen in their lungs and blood. Advanced therapies include high-frequency oscillatory ventilation, a technique that keeps air sacs in the lungs open continuously (and may be safer or more effective than traditional breathing machines in some cases).

Neuroprotective head cooling

A cooling cap worn by a newborn, which reduces the temperature in the brain to reduce swelling and reduce the risk of long-term damage due to lack of oxygen.

Parental and family support

Our parenting program gives moms and dads the opportunity to talk with and be supported by other parents with similar experiences.

Surgical care

Some surgical procedures, such as correction for retinopathy of prematurity, can be performed directly in the NICU.