Pediatric Post-Intensive Care Syndrome and Current Therapeutic Options

Crit Care Clin. 2025 Jan;41(1):53-71. doi: 10.1016/j.ccc.2024.08.001. Epub 2024 Oct 3.

Abstract

Post-intensive care syndrome (PICS) impacts most pediatric critical care survivors. PICS spans physical, cognitive, emotional, and social health domains and is increasingly recognized in survivorship literature. Children pose unique challenges in identifying and treating PICS given the inherent population heterogeneity in pediatric samples with biological differences across ages and neurodevelopmental stages, unique disease pathophysiology, strong environmental influences on disease and recovery, and lack of standardized measurements to identify morbidities or track response to intervention. Emerging literature and the recent development of specialized multidisciplinary clinics highlight opportunities for intervention across PICS domains in inpatient and outpatient settings.

Keywords: Cognitive function; Critical care; Outcomes; Parents; Pediatrics; Rehabilitation.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Critical Care* / methods
  • Critical Illness* / therapy
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Intensive Care Units, Pediatric / organization & administration
  • Survivors

Supplementary concepts

  • postintensive care syndrome