Pediatric Critical Care

Children's Hospital of Georgia has the highest level (Level I) Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) referral center for critically ill children, or those suffering from trauma, in the region. We are staffed by a team of dedicated pediatric intensivists who deliver round-the-clock care to more than 1,000 children each year. Our Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) has:

• Board-certified Pediatric Intensive Care Specialists (Intensivists) who are on site 24/7.
• 14 beds, each bed is in a private room monitored by our PICU staff.
• A 6 bed Pediatric Intermediate Care Unit, each bed is in a private room that is monitored by our PICU staff.
• A team of registered nurses with a 1:1 or 1:2 (nurse to patient care ratio) who are specially trained in pediatric intensive care.
• Dedicated medical social workers, pediatric dietitians, and pharmacists 

We admit children who require any pediatric critical care diagnosis or treatment :

Acute respiratory disorders Recovery from complex surgeries Children who have had trauma Children suffering from shock Severe infections

Multiple organ failure Ongoing seizures Severe diabetes and acidosis Acute kidney failure Acute Poisonings or overdoses

No matter what’s going on with your child our PICU is prepared to provide the specialized critical care they need including,

• Pediatric Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO): to keep the hearts and lungs of critically ill children working by providing oxygen to the blood while they .
• Hemodialysis Services: to remove waste products and water from the blood of patients with chronic or acute kidney .
• Pediatric Respiratory Therapists: for ventilation services and other procedures.

Coordinated care with pediatric emergency services

we know time is critical, our aim is to get your child to us from anywhere inside, or outside, the hospital, as fast as possible. We work with, 

• Pediatric Emergency Medicine: If your child is in need of immediate attention, come to our Pediatric Emergency Department (ED), once there, they are stabilized and assessed for further treatment.
• Pediatric Evaluation Teams (PET): No one knows your child better than you do, so you may be the first to notice subtle personality changes that can signal a worsening of his/her condition. If this happens, know you can call our Pediatric Evaluation Team (PET) to your child’s bedside anytime. The team includes a Pediatric Respiratory Therapist and a Pediatric Intensive Care nurse. Together, they will evaluate your child’s health and take any necessary action.
• Pediatric Transport Team: We work with a dedicted transport team who can bring your child to us safely and quickly, they can also transfer your child to us from other area hospitals that might not have the ability to care for them the way CHOG can.

Support Services

As one of the pioneers of Patient- and Family-Centered Care we believe that families need to be together during times like these, that’s why we support:

• 24/7 visitation for families of patients
• Including parents in patient rounds with doctors
• Offering parents bedside sleeping accommodations so they can be with their children.