The emergence of such offices has reduced the rates of infant mortality. Specialized children's intensive care units currently operate in almost all large medical centers. In these departments, immediate response teams can operate, which transport small patients from small hospitals to large treatment centers and ensure the stability of patients during transport on an ambulance. Various methods of treatment are used in children's intensive care units. In the article "Intensive therapy of septic conditions in newborns" you will find a lot of interesting and useful information for yourself.
Artificial ventilation
Artificial ventilation (IVL) is the most common method of intensive care, which is used for the extreme degree of respiratory failure or the threat of its development. Ventilation may be required for respiratory infections, such as bronchiolitis, which is common in preterm infants. Respiratory failure may also be part of the multiple organ dysfunction syndrome.
Maintaining cardiac activity and blood pressure
Reduction of blood pressure is often observed in children in serious condition. This may be due to the influence of toxins on the heart, which violates its ability to pump blood, or the ingestion of substances that cause a decrease in vascular tone. Certain medications increase blood pressure, as well as heart rate and strength.
Food
Providing nutrition is vital for a seriously ill child. He can not normally eat, while his body's energy needs are increased. In the intensive care unit, intravenous nutrition or through a tube inserted into the stomach (gastrostomy) is used. Renal therapy (kidney failure may occur against the background of circulatory disorders, fortunately, the kidneys are capable of restoring their function after its temporary disruption.) Renal cleansing function can be supplemented by hemodialysis. The child's blood is excavated with a catheter and passed through a device that filters excess fluid and toxic metabolic products.
Antibiotic therapy
Children with sepsis (blood infection) need to be cured with antibiotics that affect the suspected infectious agent. When these patients are in the intensive care unit, the likely spread of the infection must be considered.
Skin care
Children with burns require increased attention due to their lack of protection against infection and loss of body fluid, which is normally provided by the skin. In all children's intensive care units, care must be provided to prevent skin damage from pressure or other traumatic factors. Children's intensive care and intensive care units are placed in children with various critical conditions. To diagnose and treat such seriously ill patients, special medical skills of personnel and special equipment are required. There are many indications for hospitalization in intensive care units.
Severe systemic infections
Some infections can be complicated by systemic collapse and multiple organ failure. Meningococcal meningitis caused by the bacterium Neisseria meningitidis, the most notorious of them. Respiratory failure requiring artificial ventilation The respiratory failure may occur independently, for example, in bronchiolitis, or in the structure of multiple organ dysfunction syndrome, which develops with multiple injuries or burns.
Injury
Traffic accidents involving children (as pedestrians, cyclists or passengers) are the most common cause of severe injuries. Other causes, such as a fall from a height or some kind of injury, also occur.
Burns
Burns in household fires are usually combined with the inhalation of smoke, which poses a serious threat to life. Affected children often need resuscitation and plastic surgery.
Recovery after radical operations
After cardiac, neurological and other extensive surgical interventions, the child often needs postoperative treatment in an intensive care unit. To conduct such patients, in addition to practical skills, doctors and nurses require special knowledge.
Severe seizures or coma
Seizures or coma may be caused by various causes. Poisoning, metabolic disorders such as hypoglycaemia (decreased blood glucose levels, unrecognized injuries should be taken into account by medical personnel in the diagnosis.) Hospitalization of the child in the intensive care unit can be a shock for parents, especially if it is away from home and the victim is transported. parents to the situation and to answer their questions.The close relatives are provided with the necessary conditions so that they can spend time together with the child , they may need to stay in the hospital for the night or even for a longer time.
When a child dies
In the intensive care unit, a child's death may occur. In such cases, parents should be provided access to his body. The child can be diagnosed with death of the brain, which makes it possible to take organs for transplantation. This sensitive issue should be very carefully discussed with the parents of the deceased. Sometimes they agree to do this to bring invaluable benefits to another child. Specialized brigades provide transportation of the child to the intensive care unit from the hospital where he was originally sent and, if necessary, carry out resuscitation during transportation. Doctors and nurses of such brigades undergo special training in transportation assistance and general resuscitation.