Department of Pediatric Intensive Care

• Management of critical diseases and conditions which call for the need for 24/7 care and monitoring like traumatic injuries, complex neurological problems, organ dysfunction and respiratory failure. 
• Post-operative care for children who have undergone a major surgical intervention. The aim is to offer a more comfortable and healing atmosphere to ensure faster recovery with the least complications and a better prognosis. 
• Postoperative Care: Children who undergo major surgeries, including cardiac surgeries or organ transplants, often receive postoperative care in the PICU to monitor and manage their recovery

What are the different levels of the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit
Paediatric Intensive Care Units can be classified into 3 different types based on the type of care offered and the complexity of conditions addressed. 

• Level I PICU: The aim of a Level I PICU is to offer basic care to children with common pediatric conditions that do not require intensive monitoring and care. Children can be shifted from Level I to Level II or Level III ICU if they do not show a positive prognosis despite all efforts. 
• Level II PICU: The aim of Level II PICU is to offer an intermediate level of care addressing moderate health issues and medical emergencies in children. It is manned by a specialised team of experts, including pediatric intensivists, nurses and respiratory therapists, holding expertise in offering life support care to children. 
• Level III PICU: The aim of Level III PICU is to offer the most advanced and comprehensive facilities for the management of critically ill children with life-threatening diseases and injuries. Level III PICU also caters to the needs of children who have undergone high-risk surgical interventions like organ transplants.

Why would a child be admitted to a Pediatric Intensive Care Unit?
A child may be admitted to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit for any of the following reasons. 

• Respiratory distress or failure, which may be linked to conditions like pneumonia, bronchiolitis or post-operative complications 
• Cardiothoracic conditions like congenital defects, cardiomyopathy, Kawasaki disease and abnormal heart rhythms.
• Neurological conditions like brain trauma, seizures, brain tumours, malformations and developmental disorders. 
• Complications linked to serious infections and sepsis, such as septic shock, inflammatory response syndrome and high-grade fever.
• Life-threatening trauma and injuries including amputation, cuts, burns etc, that require invasive intervention and prolonged care.  
• Complex surgical interventions like organ transplants, in which the diseased or non-functional organs are replaced with healthy substitutes taken from a donor. This may be done for organs like the heart, lungs, kidneys, and liver.
• Serious blood-related malignancies and disorders including leukemia, anemia, sickle cell disease and thalassemia