Pediatric Intensive Care (PICU)
When your infant, child, or teen is critically ill or injured, UNM Children’s Hospital provides specialized pediatric intensive care in a setting designed to keep families close. Many children come to us from across New Mexico and through our dedicated pediatric emergency department, ensuring they receive expert, child‑focused care from the very start. Our PICU allows you to remain with your child throughout their course of care, providing comfort and connection during a challenging time.
As part of the state’s only Level I Trauma Center, we are equipped with the most advanced ICU diagnostic and treatment technology. Our board‑certified pediatric critical care physicians and highly trained nurses deliver expert, compassionate care, while providing age‑appropriate emotional support for both patients and families.
Advanced Critical Care Technology
UNM Children's ICU team will care for your child using the latest ICU technology, including:
- Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation: A machine temporarily does the work of the heart and lungs. This lifesaving technology is available for pediatric patients at UNM Children's.
- Continuous veno-venous hemofiltration: This equipment keeps your child's kidneys working until function returns or they can begin dialysis.
- High-frequency ventilation: Breathing support for respiratory emergencies.
- Inhaled nitric oxide therapy: Nitric oxide and oxygen flow through a mask into your child's lungs to increase blood oxygen levels.
- Intracranial pressure monitoring: This technology measures swelling inside the skull after a brain injury.
Conditions We Treat
Your child may need intensive care after:
- Burns
- Diabetic-related complications
- Severe breathing problems
- Shock
- Serious infections
- Surgery, including congenital heart disease repair
- Traumatic injuries including brain injuries
- Organ failure