Pediatric Intensive Care Unit
Contact: 1-855-WVU-CARE (2273)
The WVU Medicine Golisano Children's Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) provides specialized care for critically ill infants and children of all ages.
We are dedicated to offering the most advanced, round-the-clock, care to every child in West Virginia and surrounding states who need it.
Our PICU has the highest Level 1 status from the American Academy of Pediatrics.
The 23-bed PICU and Cardiac Intensive Care Unit (CICU) serves patients admitted for complicated medical procedures, such as cardiac surgery, neurosurgery, otolaryngology, orthopedics, and serious illnesses.
Highly-trained physicians and specially trained pediatric nurses provide round-the-clock care for your child.
The PICU also has dedicated respiratory therapists, pharmacists, and a dietitian who specialize in pediatric critical care.
Our team is sensitive to the emotional needs of children and families in critical situations, and will offer comfort, compassion, and support.
Conditions We Treat
We provide life-saving care for many situations and emergencies. These include:
- Asthma and other breathing disorders
- Respiratory failure
- Heart conditions
- Severe infectious illnesses, such as sepsis, pneumonia, and meningitis
- Diabetic ketoacidosis and other metabolic disorders
- Kidney disorders
- Neuromuscular disorders
- Poison ingestion
- Traumatic injuries
- Recovery following significant surgeries
Treatments and Services
Our critical care team provides all the care needed when your child’s life is on the line. Examples of life-saving treatments we provide include:
- Mechanical ventilation for respiratory failure, including advanced ventilatory techniques such as BiPAP and high-frequency oscillatory ventilation.
- Treatment for breathing problems like asthma and pulmonary hypertension using nitric oxide
- ECMO for pumping and oxygenating blood outside the body, allowing the heart and lungs to recover
- Pediatric heart surgery
- Resuscitation for sepsis (a life-threatening condition caused by the infection and the body’s reaction to the infection)
- Kidney replacement therapies, such as intermittent or continuous dialysis
- Treatment for traumatic injuries (in conjunction with WVU’s Jon Michael Moore Trauma Center)
- Neurocritical care interventions such as continuous video EEG and intracranial pressure monitoring
Resources
For families with children who are having a health crisis, WVU Medicine Golisano Children’s offers a wide range of support groups and other resources.
The PICU has a multidisciplinary care team that includes physicians, respiratory therapists, pharmacists, Child Life, and more.
Supportive care services are available for adjustment to a child’s illness.
Ronald McDonald House
The Ronald McDonald House offers families a place to stay, so they can be near their child while they are in our care. Please visit their website to learn more about their services.
Hostetler Family Resource Center
The Hostetler Family Resource Center provides patients and their families with information about health conditions, area lodging, and community support.
Interfaith chaplains
Interfaith chaplains and a Prayer and Meditation Room are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Injury Prevention and Safety Program
The Injury Prevention and Safety Program offers education and support to families on immediate safety concern issues, such as car seat checks and installations, shaken baby prevention, home safety, and postpartum depression.