When your child needs intensive care, your family needs clear answers and a care team that can respond quickly. Pediatric critical care supports children and young adults with serious illness, injury, or complications after surgery.
Westchester Medical Center Health Network (WMCHealth) provides pediatric critical care at Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital for children and young adults, from newborns through age 21. Our pediatric critical care specialists treat patients who need close monitoring, breathing support, blood pressure support, or other life-supporting treatments.
Our pediatric critical care team provides care in the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) at Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital and supports children throughout the hospital who need critical care expertise. The PICU is the area’s only advanced pediatric intensive care unit. It’s able to support 18 patients with advanced technologies in a compassionate, family-centered environment.
At our pediatric hospital, your child can receive pediatric critical care and care from pediatric subspecialists, all in one location. This means many children can receive advanced care close to home, without needing to transfer to New York City or Albany.
Erin Rescoe
Pediatric Critical Care Medicine, Critical Care Medicine
Locations:
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19 Skyline Drive Division of General Pediatrics
Hawthorne, NY 10532
Rebecca Jacobowitz
Pediatric Critical Care Medicine
Locations:
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Pediatric Critical Care Division- Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital 100 Woods Road
Valhalla, NY 10595
Matthew Kapklein
Pediatric Critical Care Medicine, Pediatric Emergency Medicine
Locations:
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19 Sunshine Cottage Road
Valhalla, NY 10595
Pediatric Critical Care Treatment Capabilities
Treatment depends on your child’s condition, age, and overall health. In the pediatric intensive care unit, your child’s care plan may include advanced monitoring, breathing support, medications, procedures, or life support when needed.
Respiratory Management
Children who have trouble breathing may need extra support. When appropriate, the care team may use minimally invasive breathing support, such as CPAP, BiPAP, or high-flow oxygen. Children who need more support may receive mechanical ventilation, including high-frequency oscillator ventilation.
Life Support
Some children need temporary support for their heart, lungs, or kidneys. WMCHealth offers advanced life support options, including extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) and continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT). Both veno-arterial (VA) and veno-venous (VV) ECMO are available to support heart or lung function, while CRRT is a type of dialysis used to support children with kidney failure.
Sedation
When children need sedation during procedures or treatments, our care team helps choose a sedation plan based on your child’s age, condition, and medical needs. Families are included in discussions whenever possible.
Care After Surgery
Some children need critical care support after surgery. The PICU team provides close monitoring, airway management, breathing support, and other care as needed. This may include support after neurosurgery, cardiac or chest surgery, ear, nose, and throat surgery, or other complex procedures.
Trauma Care
Pediatric critical care doctors work closely with the Level 1 Trauma Center team to care for children with serious injuries who require ICU-level care.
Our Approach to Pediatric Critical Care
Many children in critical care need more than one type of expertise. Your child’s core critical care team may include pediatric intensivists, pediatric ICU nurses, fellows, pharmacists, nutritionists, and respiratory therapists. These pediatric critical care specialists help manage immediate needs, such as breathing, circulation, and organ support.
Other pediatric specialists work alongside the pediatric critical care team to treat the condition that brought your child to the hospital. Depending on your child’s needs, this may include pediatric cardiologists, surgeons, or other pediatric subspecialists.
Parents and caregivers are important partners in pediatric critical care. You know your child’s routines, reactions, communication style, and comfort needs. Those details can help the care team make decisions and respond to your child in ways that are more comforting.
Extra Support from the Pediatric Advanced Care Team
The Pediatric Advanced Care Team (PACT) works alongside your child’s medical team to support children with serious, chronic, or life-limiting illnesses. PACT can help manage symptoms, support difficult conversations, and help your family make care decisions based on your goals and priorities.
For teens and young adults, PACT can also help them discuss and document their healthcare wishes and treatment preferences.
Families may also receive support from child life specialists, palliative care, bereavement services, case management, rehabilitation services, and other resources. When children are ready to leave the PICU, the team helps coordinate the next step in care. This may include returning home, moving to a general pediatric floor, or continuing care through rehabilitation or a chronic care facility.
A pediatric critical care attending physician is in the PICU 24 hours a day, seven days a week. When urgent treatment is needed, the team may need to act quickly. Whenever possible, we’ll work with your family to discuss options and support decisions.