Paediatric intensive care

One in 70 children are admitted to paediatric intensive care (PIC) at some time during childhood.

Most paediatric junior doctors will rotate through PIC, and will be involved in organising acute intensive care for critically ill children.

The range of children and their illnesses going through PIC is vast, making it a hugely diverse specialty.

A critically ill child will end up there regardless of their underlying disease, and as a result consultants in PIC must be true generalists and need to acquire knowledge and skills in all areas of paediatrics, as well as acquiring significant knowledge of anaesthesia and surgery.

From setting up the ventilator, to managing low cardiac output, Paediatric Intensive Care gives practical and realistic advice for children's doctors and nurses in intensive care.

Information is organised by system or speciality, and presented in easily-accessible '5 minute chunks', making it easy to get the answers you need, but is also extensively cross-referenced so that different aspects of a particular clinical problem are fully covered. The handbook contains answers to specific problems and provides guidance on how to manage specific issues, and will become an indispensible guide for all those who provide care to sick children.