Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU)

The Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia is a multidisciplinary unit that provides care for infants, children and adolescents who become critically ill or injured.

The many physicians, nurses and allied medical care professionals who work in the PICU have the knowledge, skill and judgment to quickly assess and treat your child so he can achieve the best outcomes possible from critical illness or injury. 

Equipped with advanced technology, our multidisciplinary team improves survival, speeds recovery, minimizes disability and relieves pain and suffering in a caring and respectful manner.

Conditions that commonly cause critical illness and injury include:

  • Severe infection
  • Poisoning
  • Drug overdose
  • Trauma
  • Extensive surgery
  • Congenital anomalies
  • Immunological disorders

PICU admission

Admissions to the PICU are regulated by the medical director of the PICU, or the staff critical care physician on duty. Patients may be admitted to the PICU with:

  • A critical care physician as the child's attending physician
  • Any CHOP staff pediatrician or surgeon, who will treat the patient in conjunction with a critical care physician

A critical care physician is available 24 hours a day for consultation on the care of critically ill children. If referral to the PICU is appropriate for your child, the critical care staff will make arrangements to transport your child to the PICU.