Kids go to the PICU if they are seriously ill, need intensive care, and have medical needs that can’t be met on the hospital’s main medical floors. This might include kids with severe breathing problems from asthma, serious infections, some complications of diabetes, or those involved in a serious automobile accident or near-drowning.
Sometimes, kids who were stable enough to be cared for on the hospital’s medical-surgical floors move to the PICU if they become more acutely ill. After major surgery, many children get care in the PICU for several days.
How long kids stay in the PICU depends on their condition. Some might stay a single day, while others stay for weeks or even months.
As always, ask the doctor or nurse caring for your child if you have questions.