The Psychologic Impact on Children of Admission to Intensive Care

There is growing literature on the psychologic impact on parents and families of having a child on the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU), but less is known about the child's experience. In this article the relevant literature is explored and illustrated with examples from the author's research. Recurring themes are the persistence of distress in a significant minority of children and the association between parental anxiety and child's psychologic symptoms. The evidence on the extent of children's factual and delusional memories relating to PICU is also examined. Finally, the implications of the current state of knowledge for future research and for clinical work are discussed.