Importance of Pediatric Intensive Care Units (PICU) in Saving Children’s life

March 18th, 2024 | 12:39 pm

Pediatric Intensive Care Units (PICUs) are dedicated ICUs for critically ill infants, children, and teenagers. Modern medical equipment in these specialised facilities and a committed team of doctors and nurses provide children with cutting-edge medical procedures and constant assistance during their critical medical requirements.

What is a PICU?

Children who are critically ill or wounded receive specialised care in a pediatric intensive care unit (PICU), a specialised section within a hospital. PICUs have highly qualified healthcare experts and are outfitted with cutting-edge medical equipment. From serious infections and traumatic injuries to sophisticated surgical operations and organ failure, these units are built to deal with a broad spectrum of medical emergencies.

The Pediatric Intensive Care Units (PICUs) at Giggles Hospitals help families dealing with their child’s serious illness or injury. The unit is responsible for handling the most severe and complex medical disorders in children. To deliver critical care, monitoring, and support, it provides an extensive array of specialised services and technology. Stabilising, treating, and improving the prognosis of critically sick children is the main objective of the PICU.

Facilities at Pediatric Intensive Care Units (PICUs)

Modern amenities are provided at the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) to address the intricate medical requirements of critically ill children. Important facilities consist of:

  • Round-the-clock nursing assistance
  • Equipment such as ventilators to assist breathing
  • IVs, or intravenous catheters, inject medicine and fluids into veins.
  • Advanced diagnostic tests 
  • CT scan 
  • MRI scanners 
  • Ultrasounds
  • Both non-invasive and invasive ventilator assistance 
  • Rehabilitation services include physical therapy, speech therapy, and occupational therapy.

Who Takes Care of Kids in the PICU

A multidisciplinary team delivers the care provided in a Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) of healthcare professionals trained in pediatric critical care. 

  • Physicians specialising in pediatric critical care medicine handle critically sick children in the PICU, coordinating their care and treatment regimens.
  • Pediatric critical care registered nurses are specially trained to provide bedside care, dispense medications, and monitor children’s vital signs and reactions to therapy.
  • Professionals in respiratory care who hold a licence and help with respiratory therapy, airway management, and mechanical ventilation for kids in the PICU who need respiratory support.
  • Clinical pharmacists collaborate closely with the medical staff to guarantee that pediatric patients in the PICU receive safe and efficient medication management, including monitoring drug interactions and adjusting dosages. Registered dietitians evaluate and optimise the dietary needs of critically sick children in the PICU to provide the most calorie intake and nutritional assistance for the best possible recovery.
  • Trained specialists assist kids and their families in the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) by offering therapeutic activities, emotional support, and diversion methods to lessen stress and anxiety while the patient is in the hospital.

How Do Pediatric Intensive Care Units (PICUs) Work?

The Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) offers a highly specialised and organised medical setting to preserve children’s lives. A multidisciplinary team of pediatric intensivists, nurses, respiratory therapists, and other experts promptly assesses and stabilises children who are critically sick or wounded upon arrival. Modern medical technology is used for accurate monitoring and interventions catered to the specific needs of every kid, such as infusion pumps, heart monitors, and ventilators. Carefully thought-out treatment plans are created, frequently combining therapy treatments, mechanical breathing, drug delivery, and surgery. Real-time modifications can be made to improve patient outcomes by continuously monitoring vital signs and responses to therapy.

Giggles Hospitals’ Pediatric Intensive Care Units contain beds for kids who need ventilator assistance or are kept on a mechanical ventilator for extended periods. To guarantee children receiving feeding tubes receive enough nutrition assistance, the skilled nurses in this area oversee these complicated cases and keep a careful eye on them all day long. PICUs are used to treat the following conditions:

  • Food poisoning
  • Overdose of medication
  • Accident related injuries
  • Diabetes (Diabetic ketoacidosis )
  • Genetic anomalies
  • Epilepsy
  • Brain infection
  • Severe Pneumonia 
  • Acute exacerbation of Asthma
  • Autoimmune conditions
  • Trauma
  • Complex surgery
  • Medication side effects and overdose
  • Post-op monitoring after Surgeries
  • Organ failure

Why is the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) Important?

It is impossible to overestimate the importance of pediatric intensive care units (PICUs). They are essential in preserving children’s lives and guaranteeing the best possible results in life-threatening medical situations. Here’s why pediatric intensive care units (PICUs) are necessary:

1. Immediate Intervention:

Intensive Care Units (PICUs) are designed to provide quick and accurate treatments, from complex surgical operations to sophisticated respiratory support. These units are prepared to address sudden medical emergencies head-on since every second matters to stabilise a child’s health.

2. Specialised Expertise

A varied team of healthcare experts works together at a PICU, each bringing their specialisation to the forefront. To create individualised treatment plans specific to each child’s requirements, pediatric intensivists, nurses, respiratory therapists, and other allied healthcare professionals work together seamlessly. By ensuring that no facet of a child’s care is missed, this multidisciplinary approach promotes a comprehensive healing environment.

3. Continuous Monitoring and Vigilance

Patient safety is the top priority, and pediatric intensive care units observe and monitor patients around the clock. A PICU is designed with specific equipment for continuous observation and specialised nursing care. Children’s heart rates, respiration, and blood pressure in the pediatric critical care unit frequently require constant assistance and monitoring. Modern monitoring systems monitor neurological states, oxygen saturation levels, and vital indicators, enabling medical professionals to spot small changes and take preventative action. 

4. Critical Transition

For children in need of intensive care after being admitted from the emergency room or operating room, pediatric intensive care units (PICUs) provide a vital transition point. They enable smooth care transitions and continuous management of complicated medical disorders. Children and their families get comprehensive treatment in PICUs that addresses their medical requirements and emotional and psychological well-being, thanks to the multidisciplinary team approach.

Why choose Giggles Hospitals for Paediatric Intensive Care?

Renowned for providing all-round care for women and children, Giggles Hospitals provides the best PICU facility for critically ill children, teens, and young adults. Children with potentially fatal complications receive the best treatment possible from our team of board-certified physicians. Kids should have access to the greatest medical facilities. By adhering to this idea, we have established a setting that is not just kid-friendly, progressive, or attentive to their requirements but also guarantees their safety and well-being at all times. You may contact our doctors to receive the best care and treatment for your kid, as we offer comprehensive medical care for children of all ages.