Pediatric Critical Care (PICU)

Pediatric Critical Care at Golisano Children's Hospital

The state-of-the-art Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) at Golisano Children's Hospital at University of Vermont Health provides highly specialized, compassionate care for children and teens with life-threatening illnesses or injuries.

We know that having a seriously ill child impacts the whole family, so we strive to provide support and encouragement to the entire family during your child’s stay.

A medical provider cleans her equipment.

Why Choose Golisano Children's Hospital?

Verified by the American College of Surgeons, we are home to the only Level II Pediatric Trauma Center serving Vermont and northern New York.

We offer:

Multidisciplinary team: Depending on your child's needs, our PICU team may work closely with medical and surgical specialists, respiratory therapists, pediatric pharmacists, physical and occupational therapists, social workers, pediatric nutritionists and imaging and laboratory personnel across UVM Health.
Dedicated Child Life specialists: Our PICU-based certified Child Life specialists help young patients cope with the stress of their medical experience. These specially trained health care providers try to keep life as normal as possible for your child through therapeutic play, education, and self-expression activities like drawing and making music.
Family-centered care: You are at the center of your child’s health care team. We welcome you to attend morning rounds with the clinical team to ask any and all questions you may have about goals for your child’s treatment and recovery.

Critical Care Conditions We Treat

Our specially trained PICU team cares for children with a variety of serious illnesses and injuries, including:

Sepsis and severe infections
Meningitis and encephalitis
Abnormal airway problems
Single or multiple organ (lung, heart, kidney) failure
Severe blood diseases and childhood cancer
Pneumonia and bronchiolitis
Trauma (severe head injuries or burns)
Complex surgical problems
Poisonings and drug overdoses
Complex congenital diseases
Seizures
Complex neurological diseases
Severe autoimmune illnesses
Other severe and acute chronic illnesses

Golisano Children's Hospital

Child Life Program

Medical care can be overwhelming for children. Our Child Life Specialists help your child cope with stress, prepare for procedures and understand their care. These highly trained specialists offer your family support as you navigate our health system.

A child life specialist plays with a small child.

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What to Expect During Your Child’s Transfer to the PICU

For children with life-threatening conditions who are brought to any one of our UVM Health emergency departments (ED), we can provide immediate 24/7 ground or air (weather permitting) ambulance transport to Golisano Children’s Hospital at UVM Health and PICU for advanced care.

ED teams throughout UVM Health work closely with the specialized PICU team to efficiently and safely coordinate pediatric patient transfers through the UVM Health Regional Transfer Center (RTC). The RTC coordinates logistics to make sure patients get to the right place at the right time. Our dedicated service is made up of a fleet of specially equipped ambulances and helicopters that are prepared to transfer critically ill pediatric patients to the PICU from hospitals in Vermont and northern New York at all times.

A PICU staff physician is always on call and available to answer your questions, as well as to facilitate the transfer with the RTC and your child's admission to the hospital.