Pediatric intensive care unit is the section of hospital that provides medical care for sick children. It differs from general ward by allowing intensive nursing care and continuous monitoring of critically ill children.

Who’s sent to the PICU?

Any child who is seriously ill and need continuous monitoring care are admitted to PICU. Those children might have severe breathing problems like asthma, severe infections, certain heart conditions, some complications of diabetes, severe epilepsy, etc.

We receive children either directly from emergency room, or from the pediatric ward (if condition is getting worse). We currently have 2 rooms and in near future will expand to 4 rooms.

What to expect in PICU?

After receiving the child, we review him in detail with transferring physician, stabilize the child and connect him to breathing machine (ventilator) if required. After stabilizing the child, we discuss all issues with family. Here in Ahmadi Hospital we sometimes promote “family-centered patient care”, according to child’s condition, encouraging parents to attend rounds and asking questions to be continuously updated about their child’s condition. We work in harmony with other subspecialties including nephrology (kidney specialist), cardiology (heart specialist), surgeons and other specialties.

When child is stable, off ventilator (breathing machine) and has stable condition then we transfer him to general ward after giving detailed information about child’s current condition to ensure smooth transition of care.