Pediatric intensive care (PICU)

For a critically ill child with a severe and life-threatening illness or injury, the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) provides the highest level of care within the hospital. At Studer Family Children’s Hospital at Ascension Sacred Heart, our highly experienced critical care doctors, nurses and care teams care for your child’s advanced needs. This may include diagnosis, monitoring and delivery of specialized medications and treatments. Highly skilled and compassionate care teams work 24/7 to deliver care for conditions including:

• Cancer and blood disorders
• Chronic illness
• Congenital heart disease
• Infections, including meningitis and sepsis
• Near-drowning
• Organ failure, including heart, lung, liver and kidney failure
• Respiratory distress (severe breathing problems)
• Sepsis (serious infection)
• Traumatic injury (such as severe head injury)

If your child is critically ill or injured and receiving care in the PICU, pediatric intensive care specialists (intensivists) are at the center of your child’s care team – coordinating and managing their care with experienced and highly trained nurses and other pediatric specialists. Your child’s pediatric intensivist works closely with other specialists at Studer Family Children’s Hospital, including pediatric respiratory therapists, pediatric surgeons, pediatric heart specialists, pediatric neurologists, pediatric neurosurgeons, pediatric orthopedic surgeons, pediatric rehabilitation specialists, pediatric dietitians and more. Your child’s team of specialists and nurses work together to deliver comprehensive care for your child.