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Pediatric intensive care (PICU)

Pediatric doctors and care teams in Dell Children’s pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) deliver advanced care for critically ill and injured children.

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Girl in hospital bed.

Pediatric intensive care in Austin

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 Dell Children’s Medical Center at Ascension Seton, 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:Infant in PICU at Dell Children's Medical Center

  • Cancer and blood disorders
  • Chronic illness
  • Congenital heart disease
  • Heart disease Infections, including meningitis and sepsis
  • Near-drowning
  • Organ failure, including heart, lung, liver and kidney failure
  • Respiratory distress
  • Traumatic injury

A multispecialty team dedicated to your child

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 at Dell Children’s Medical Center. Your child’s pediatric intensivist works closely with other specialists at Dell Children’s, including pediatric pulmonologists, pediatric respiratory therapists, pediatric nephrologists, pediatric surgeons, pediatric heart specialists, pediatric neurologists, pediatric neurosurgeons, pediatric orthopedic surgeons, pediatric rehabilitation specialists, pediatric dietitians and pharmacists. Your child’s team of specialists and nurses work together to deliver comprehensive care for your child.

Supportive care for your family

Supportive care is also available to your family. Child life specialists, social workers, chaplains, counselors, financial advisors and volunteers are part of our care team. Together, we deliver care that supports your family while your child is in the PICU. Whether you need emotional support, financial support, or a place to stay near your child – we can help connect you with the support and other services your family needs.

Advanced care for serious illness and injury

  • Level I Pediatric Trauma Center
    As the only Level I Pediatric Trauma Center in Central Texas, accredited by the American College of Surgeons, Dell Children's delivers the highest level of trauma care for severe illness or injury.
  • Level I Pediatric Surgery Center
    If your child needs surgery, have confidence knowing Dell Children’s Medical Center is one of the few hospitals in the United States that has a Level I Children’s Surgical Program designation from the American College of Surgeons.
  • Advanced airway management
    Invasive mechanical ventilation may be used for critically ill patients who need respiratory support or airway protection. Doctors and nurses at Dell Children's are experienced in and trained to provide advanced therapies including high-frequency oscillatory ventilation (HFOV) and volumetric diffusive respiration (VDR).
  • Continuous kidney replacement therapy (CKRT)
    When your child has a chronic kidney condition or kidney injury, their kidneys do not filter blood the way they should. Dialysis is a treatment that helps do the job of the kidneys. It can help support your child until their kidney function improves or until they have a kidney transplant. For children in the hospital who need continuous dialysis, we work with pediatric nephrologists (kidney doctors) to provide 24/7 dialysis.
  • Therapeutic apheresis through ECMO
    We work with pediatric nephrologists and nurses to provide therapeutic apheresis and dialysis for children who are also receiving ECMO treatment.
  • Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO)
    ECMO delivers advanced care for patients with life-threatening lung and heart conditions who are critically ill. ECMO may also be used while a child is waiting for a heart or lung transplant. When other therapies are not working for the patient, this advanced technology is used to temporarily take over the job of the heart and lungs. It provides respiratory support and blood circulation – allowing the lungs and heart to rest while your child is recovering from serious illness or injury.
  • Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU)
    As a Level IV neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), at Dell Children’s Medical Center, we deliver the highest level of care for newborns.
  • Cardiac Intensive Care Unit (CICU)
    Dell Children’s CICU delivers advanced care for babies and children who are critically ill with a heart condition.

Transfer a patient to the Dell Children's PICU

Our PICU provides care for children throughout Central Texas and beyond. And at Dell Children’s, we have a dedicated transport team to bring children directly to a higher level of care. This includes care for children with traumatic injuries, children who need a higher level of surgical care, children with cancer and children with organ failure who need a transplant. Our transport team includes experienced nurses and respiratory therapists. Our transport team has the specialized skills and advanced technology to care for children while they are being transported.

To transfer a patient to the PICU at Dell Children’s Medical Center, call 512-324-3515.

Pediatric intensive care (PICU)