Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Synphaet Children’s Hospital

Standing by your side in every critical second, to safely return your beloved child to your warm embrace.

When a child faces a critical illness or sudden severe condition, every second is vital to life. The Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) is a key medical unit dedicated to caring for pediatric patients in high-risk conditions where rapid, life-threatening bodily changes can occur. Caring for a child in critical condition requires not only advanced medical devices, but also specialized expertise that deeply understands pediatric physiology.

The Pediatric Intensive Care Unit at Synphaet Children’s Hospital is ready to care for critically ill pediatric patients with a team of pediatricians, pediatric intensivists, and specialized pediatric critical care nurses who provide close, 1-to-1 monitoring 24/7. Equipped with pediatric ventilators, vital sign monitors, life-support equipment, and standardized medical technologies, we ensure children receive fast, safe, and optimal opportunities for recovery.

Conditions and Critical States Managed at the Pediatric ICU

We provide critical care for pediatric patients aged 4 months up to 14 years.

• Respiratory Crises: Severe pneumonia, severe bronchiolitis, severe acute asthma flare-ups, and respiratory failure requiring mechanical ventilation.
• Severe Infections: Sepsis, septic shock, dengue shock syndrome, meningitis, and severe multi-system infections.
• Cardiovascular Conditions: Acute heart failure, cardiogenic shock, severe blood pressure abnormalities, and cardiac arrhythmias requiring continuous monitoring.
• Neurological Crises: Status epilepticus (continuous seizures), encephalitis, lethargy/coma, cerebral edema, elevated intracranial pressure (ICP), and post-operative neurosurgical care.
• Severe Trauma and Injury: Head trauma, multi-organ trauma, fractures associated with critical symptoms, drowning, and severe burns or scalds.
• Post-operative Major Surgery: Post-cardiac surgery, post-neurosurgery, post-abdominal surgery, and other surgeries requiring specialized monitoring.
• Other Acute Conditions: Abnormal bleeding, acute kidney injury (AKI), severe anaphylaxis, and poisoning or drug overdose.

Services and Medical Technologies at the PICU

• Advanced Ventilation Support: Oxygen therapy and mechanical ventilators designed specifically for children (Pediatric Mechanical Ventilator), both invasive (intubated) and non-invasive, such as High-Flow Nasal Cannula (HFNC) and Non-Invasive Ventilation (NIV).
• Central Monitoring System: Continuous 24-hour real-time monitoring of heart rate, blood pressure, blood oxygen saturation (SpO2), and electrocardiogram (ECG).
• Point-of-Care Testing (POCT): Rapid bedside analysis of blood gases (Blood Gas Analysis) and electrolytes for immediate therapeutic decisions.
• Bedside X-ray and Ultrasound: Performed directly at the patient’s bedside to minimize complications associated with transferring critically ill children.
• Intravenous Fluid and Medication Administration via Infusion Pumps
• Delicate Airway Management and Suctioning: Airway suctioning, nebulization therapy, and chest physical therapy (chest physiotherapy) by specialized critical care nurses.
• Shock Treatment and Pediatric Resuscitation

Why choose the Pediatric ICU at Synphaet Children’s Hospital?

• ✓ Dedicated Pediatric Critical Care Specialists: Managed by in-house specialists in pediatric pulmonology and critical care medicine, ready to evaluate and adjust treatments immediately when a child’s condition changes.
• ✓ Specialized Pediatric Critical Care Nurses (PICU Nurses): Highly trained in caring for critically ill children, providing close monitoring 24 hours a day.
• ✓ Pediatric-Specific Life-Support Equipment: The PICU environment, temperature, and medical device sizes are customized specifically to fit the anatomy of children aged 4 months to 14 years.
• ✓ 24/7 Emergency Readiness: Doctors and nurses on standby at all times, easing parents’ anxiety during critical times when the child’s condition is not yet stable.
• ✓ Comprehensive Multidisciplinary Team: Collaborations among pediatricians, surgeons, anesthesiologists, specialized nurses, physical therapists, and clinical pharmacists.
• ✓ Consistent Family Communication: Ensuring parents understand the treatment plan and progress at every step.

Frequently Asked Questions (Q&A)

Q: How does the Pediatric ICU (PICU) differ from the Neonatal ICU (NICU)?

A: The NICU cares for newborns from their first day of life up to approximately 1–3 months of age (focusing on premature infants or newborns with birth complications). The PICU supports critically ill children from 4 months up to 14 years of age.

Q: How does the Pediatric ICU differ from a general pediatric ward?

A: The PICU is equipped with specialized medical staff, intensive monitoring devices, and pediatric-specific life-support equipment to care for critically ill children 24 hours a day.

Q: What symptoms indicate that a child needs to be admitted to the Pediatric ICU (PICU)?

A: When a child has a severe, life-threatening condition, such as severe respiratory distress with chest retractions, cyanosis, airway obstruction due to mucus, status epilepticus, lethargy/unresponsiveness, shock, or severe hypotension from dengue or sepsis. The physician will decide to transfer the child to the PICU to utilize life-support equipment and monitor them closely.

Q: Can a child on a ventilator recover?

A: Yes. A ventilator is a supportive device that assists lung function during a critical period. Once the underlying condition improves and the child can breathe adequately on their own, the medical team will gradually and safely wean them off the ventilator.

Q: Can parents visit or stay with their child in the PICU?

A: The hospital understands the emotional needs of both children and parents. We offer scheduled visitation periods under strict hygiene and infection control protocols to prevent secondary infections in critically ill children, while the nursing team provides continuous updates on the child’s status.