An Overview of Pediatric Intensive Care Unit

Child mortality has severely declined over the years. However, children below 5 years are always at risk of developing medical complications. Around 5.3 million deaths occurred in 2018 in this age group, according to data by UNICEF.  

Modern medicine has been consistently evolving to reduce child deaths, through immunization programs and robust diagnostic tools. Top hospitals have neo-natal or pediatric intensive care units (PICU); equipped with the best facilities to tackle emergencies.

Seeing your child inside the PICU is never easy. But, having a clear understanding of how PICU works might provide some comfort.

Pediatric Intensive Care Unit – What Is It

A Pediatric Intensive Care Unit or PICU is a multidisciplinary unit that is designed to take care of children and infants suffering from wide range of diseases. These can include cancer, congenital heart conditions, mental trauma and post operation care after brain, lungs and reconstructive surgeries.
The unit is a specialized division of the hospital which is especially dedicated to provide high end services to children with serious medical complexities. Intensive supervision and continuous monitoring of blood pressure and heart rate are also carried on in the unit. These units are led by highly qualified ICU specialists and skilled nurses.

Some Conditions Treated at the PICU

The best pediatrician in Bangalore will treat the following conditions in the PICU.

Heart Diseases

Congenital heart conditions are the ones in which in which complexities are usually found in the heart structure. These develop when the baby is being formed inside the womb. Some of them are:

• ASD or Atrial Septal Defect is a condition when the baby has a hole in the upper chambers of the heart.
• Cardiomyopathy is a severe condition in which the heart is stiffened to an extent where it fails to pump blood properly.
• Marfan Syndrome happens when connecting tissues of the heart are weak and are unable to perform efficiently.

Other conditions include endocarditis, rheumatic heart diseases and ventricular septal defect.

Kidney Conditions

Kidney surgeries, kidney failures and transplants are assigned to PICU. The best pediatricians in Bangalore should be consulted, in any such diagnosis.

Neurological Problems

Certain conditions like meningitis, stroke, encephalitis and seizures are treated in the PICU.  The doctors monitor swelling in the brain, tissue infections and abnormal body movements, providing necessary medical attention.

Respiratory Conditions

Pneumonia, Apnea, chronic lung disorders and traumatic injuries are handled inside the intensive care unit. The paediatricians look for lung infections, troubled breathing and oxygen transfer malfunctions in the child.

PICU Inclusions

The PICU consists of multiple medical equipments including display panels, monitor screens and alarms to keep an eye on the patient at all times. Intravenous catheters are attached in the hands and legs to deliver volumes of fluid and medicines inside the body.  Kids who would require support to breathe are often put on ventilators in the PICU. Lastly, medications and regular blood and urine tests are performed by the team of doctors and nurses.

Know that the best pediatrician in Koramangala, Bangalore will suggest PICU admission, only for critical cases. Often parents are not allowed entry inside the facility, only to prevent the risk of infections for children. With prompt medical attention, children can be saved from preventable complications or fatalities. 

About This Author

Shaheen Shaikh http://www.adrclinic.co.uk Joined: April 29th, 2018