Pediatric Intensive Care

Pediatric ICU in Central Massachusetts and Beyond

Image

The UMass Memorial Medical Center – Children’s Medical Center PICU is the only one of its kind in the region. A highly skilled team supports children with complex medical needs, delivering advanced care in a safe and focused environment.

Many children in our PICU do not have serious conditions. We admit them to ensure they’re in the best hands if anything changes. Experts also care for patients with life-threatening issues. We keep an attentive watch over your child until they’re ready to move to a regular hospital room or go home.
 

Conditions Our PICU Monitors and Treats

In the pediatric ICU, we care for a wide range of conditions, providing personalized services reflecting your child’s needs.

Conditions we frequently monitor and treat include: 

• Respiratory disorders
• Neurological conditions
• Kidney disorders
• Traumatic injuries affecting multiple organ systems
• Heart-related issues, including ones that are congenital (present at birth)
• Difficult-to-treat infections
• Blood disorder emergencies from conditions, such as sickle celldisease  

Pediatric ICU Services

Our PICU provides the highest level of care for children of all ages, including comprehensive support from the earliest stages of recovery.

Offerings include:

Advanced Respiratory Support

These services help your child receive a steady flow of oxygen while their body heals. Options include a special tube or mask that delivers high-flow oxygen or machines that help keep airways open to support natural breathing. In severe cases, a machine (ventilator) takes over breathing for children who are too sick to do it on their own.

Critical Illness Recovery Monitoring

Monitoring services are for life-threatening conditions, including ones impacting vital functions like breathing. We care for children after severe asthma attacks, complications of diabetes, seizures or poisoning. Monitoring is also for children with severe or difficult-to-treat infections. The advanced services our team provides give your child the best chance for a good outcome.

Renal Replacement Therapy

This treatment is for children with conditions like kidney failure, infections affecting kidney function and complications from other illnesses. Renal replacement therapy temporarily takes over the work of the kidneys to remove waste, toxins and extra fluid from the body. Your child may need dialysis, which uses a machine to filter the blood, or other methods.

Kidney Transplantation Support

The pediatric ICU team ensures your child’s new organ functions properly while supporting their recovery. We keep a careful watch for signs of organ rejection, infection or other complications. Services include advanced vital sign monitoring, regularly assessing organ function and managing medications like immunosuppressants to prevent rejection.

Postoperative Care

After surgery, our pediatric ICU cares for children requiring advanced monitoring to catch the early signs of complications like infection or bleeding. The team also oversees respiratory support, if needed, wound management and nutritional support. We anticipate your child’s needs, leading to timely services that optimize their ability to heal.

Trauma Care Consultations

Our Children’s Medical Center is the region's only pediatric trauma center, providing 24/7 care to critically ill and injured children. PICU staff take part in these efforts whenever necessary, especially when a child needs close monitoring for brain injuries or specialized treatments for severe fractures, burns or internal injuries.

Life Flight Air Ambulance

Our program is home to the region’s only air ambulance, Life Flight. This helicopter service quickly transports our most medically fragile patients. Your child receives pre-hospital care en route from specially trained providers. They also provide real-time updates to Children’s Medical Center staff to help expedite treatment upon arrival.