Outcomes of Children After Hospitalization in Intensive Care Unit

More than 10,000 children are hospitalized in an PICU every year in Canada. While most of them will survive their PICU hospitalization and their critical illness, some children will not recover to their pre-illness level. Some may develop behavioral, physical, emotional or developmental problems and difficulties at school. All these problems are elements that are part of the Pediatric Post-Intensive Care Syndrome (PICS-p). It is important to understand the elements (risk factors) that play a role in the development of PICS-p. In Canada, there is no systematic follow-up for children after they leave the PICU. Understanding what can cause PICS-p (risk factors) and how much PICS-p has an impact on children and their family is very important to the family well-being.