What is PICS-p?

Post Intensive Care Syndrome in paediatrics or “PICS-p” involves the health and wellbeing of children and infants after leaving the PICU. Recent advances in medicine have led to a better understanding of overall health as not just the physical, but emotional, social, and other elements of health, and how all elements of health interact together to impact overall wellbeing (1).

The elements or “domains” of health that can be affected by a PICU admission include cognitive (thinking), physical functioning, social functioning, emotional, and family wellbeing (how the PICU admission affects other family members, parents, or carers).

Critical care medicine, which is the speciality of medicine concerning critical care or “ICU” (including PICU) only emerged in the 1960s, and has technology and medical care in PICU has advanced rapidly since then (2). Because of this, research on the problems that can occur after PICU is recent and ongoing, which is why it is especially important to monitor your child after going home from hospital and reporting and seeking help for any problems that may occur.

At the Picolo Network, we are committed to scientific work to improve the recovery of all children and their families after intensive care admission, which is why we have developed educational resources for parents/caregivers, and tools below that can help you track your child’s development so that any problems can be picked up early. We also conduct research measuring children’s health after PICU from parent/caregiver surveys. If you would like to partner with the Picolo Network or share your story, we would love to hear from you (click here to contact us).

Video: THRIVE: Paediatric Post-Intensive Care Syndrome, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wLH2kPcEUKU&t=23s