A pediatric intensive care unit (also Pediatric) PICU, is an area within a hospital specializing in the care of critically ill infants, children, and teenagers.
The Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) is a multidisciplinary unit that provides care for infants, children and adolescents who become critically ill or injured.
Critical illness or injury occurs when impending or existing failure of the respiratory, circulatory, nervous or gastrointestinal systems threatens or impairs the balance of oxygen and substrate supply and demand. Unless this state is prevented or reversed promptly, cells of the body will sustain injury or die.
Conditions that commonly cause critical illness and injury include:
• Severe infection
• Poisoning
• Drug overdose
• Trauma
• Extensive surgery
• Congenital anomalies
• Immunological disorders.