The psychologic impact on children of admission to intensive care

"I Didn't Realize How Hard It Was Going to Be Just Transitioning Back into Life": A Qualitative Exploration of Outcomes for Survivors of Pediatric Septic Shock

Recovery following pediatric critical illness is multifaceted and complex. While most critically ill children survive, many experience morbidities in physical, emotional, cognitive, and social function. We aimed to deeply explore and describe the multidimensional impact of pediatric septic shock for affected children and their families at the granular level using exploratory qualitative methodology. We performed semistructured telephone interviews of adolescents and caregivers of children admitted with community-acquired septic shock to two tertiary pediatric intensive care units in the United States. Interviews were conducted within two years of hospital admission, and were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using thematic analysis. Two adolescents and 10 caregivers were interviewed. Participants described meaningful and long-lasting outcomes of septic shock on multiple dimensions of their lives. The adolescents and caregivers described substantial negative consequences on physical health and function which resulted in increased medical complexity and heightened caregiver vigilance. The physical impact led to substantial psychosocial consequences for both the child and family, including social isolation. Most caregivers expressed that septic shock was transformational in their lives, with some caregivers describing posttraumatic growth. This preliminary study provides a novel, granular view of the multidimensional impact of septic shock in pediatric patients and their families. Exploring these experiences through qualitative methodology provides greater insight into important patient and family outcomes. Deeper understanding of these outcomes may support the development of meaningful interventions to improve quality of life for children and their families following critical illness.

Implementation feasibility of animal-assisted therapy in a pediatric intensive care unit: effectiveness on reduction of pain, fear, and anxiety

Animal-assisted therapies are an innovative strategy within health care humanization initiatives, and they could play a role in the reduction of pain or anxiety. The main objective of this work was to evaluate the feasibility of implementing animal-assisted therapy in a pediatric intensive care unit and its effectiveness for the reduction of pain, fear, and anxiety. A prospective, quasi-experimental study of animal-assisted therapy was designed in the pediatric intensive care unit of the Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre of Madrid, from January 2019 to December 2019. The study sample included patients who had been admitted to the unit and were over 3 years old. Satisfaction surveys were collected from the patients, family, and health personnel involved. Physiological variables and the level of pain (visual analog scale or Wong-Baker scale), fear (Child Medical Fear Scale), and anxiety (modified Yale Preoperatory Anxiety Scale) were evaluated before and after each session. Any existence of adverse events was recorded. A total of 74 therapy sessions were performed on 61 patients. All sessions were completed without any adverse effects. A total of 164 surveys were collected, providing an overall project rating of 9.69 out of a possible 10. The survey comments were found to be positive in most cases. No differences were found in the physiological variables measured before and after each session. There was a statistically significant decrease in pain, fear, and anxiety levels (p < 0.01).   Conclusion: The implementation of an animal-assisted therapy project in a pediatric intensive care unit is feasible and safe and has a high degree of acceptance among both participants and healthcare staff. Animal-assisted therapy is effective for the reduction of pain, fear, and anxiety, and therefore, it could be considered an adjunct to non-pharmacological therapy. What is Known: • Animal assisted therapies (AAT) are an innovative strategy that could be beneficial to help pediatrics patients cope with admission difficulties and could even play a role in reducing pain, anxiety and/or delirium. • To date there are not studies to analyze the effectiveness of AAT in the field of Pediatric Intesive Care. What is New: • Our study confirms the feasibility and effectiveness of the implementation of an AAT in the field of Pediatric Intensive Care with a high degree of acceptance by participants, caregivers and healthcare personnel. • AAT demonstrated a reduction in pain, fear and anxiety in pediatrics patients admitted to Pediatric Intensive Care Unit.

Assent in Pediatric Critical Care Research: A Cross-Sectional Stakeholder Survey of Canadian Research Ethics Boards, Research Coordinators, Pediatric Critical Care Researchers, and Nurses

OBJECTIVES

Survey of four stakeholder groups involved in defining and obtaining assent for research in Canadian PICUs to better understand their perspectives and perceived barriers to assent.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional survey.

SETTING

Fourteen tertiary-care pediatric hospitals in Canada.

PARTICIPANTS

Research Ethics Board Chairs, pediatric critical care nurses, research coordinators, and researchers.

INTERVENTIONS

None.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

A total of 193 participants responded. Thirty-seven percent (59/159) thought it was "Never/Almost Never" (59/159, 37%) feasible to obtain assent during the first 48 hours of PICU admission, and 112 of 170 (66%) indicated there are unique barriers to assent at the time of enrollment in PICU studies. Asking children for assent was most frequently rated as Important/Very Important for interviews/focus groups with the child (138/180, 77%), blood sample collection with a needle poke for research (137/178, 77%), and studies involving genetic testing with results communicated to the child/legal guardian (134/180, 74%). In two scenarios where a child and legal guardian disagreed about study participation, most respondents indicated that whether the child should still be enrolled would depend on the patient's age (34-36%), and/or the risk of the study (24-28%). There was a lack of consensus over how the assent process should be operationalized, and when and for how long children should be followed to seek assent for ongoing study participation. Most stakeholders (117/158, 74%) thought that children should have the opportunity to decide if their samples could stay in a biobank once they are old enough to do so.

CONCLUSIONS

There was an overall lack of consensus on the feasibility of, and challenges associated with, obtaining assent at the time of study enrollment and on how key aspects of the assent process should be operationalized in the PICU. This highlights the need for guidelines to clarify the assent process in pediatric critical care research.

What Happens When you Ask for Feedback? Anticipating and Addressing Challenges Can Be Effective for Eliciting Parents' Views About Their Critically Ill Child's Retrieval to Paediatric Intensive Care

User feedback is an important element of health-service evaluation and can be used to improve services but can be difficult to obtain, particularly in acute care situations. As part of a national study, we explored stakeholders' perspectives on paediatric critical care retrieval processes through questionnaires and interviews. Obtaining feedback in a highly charged, stressful and busy paediatric intensive care unit (PICU) environment is fraught with difficulties so we aimed to optimise each stage of data collection by being both proactive and reactive. Patient and public involvement occurred throughout and engagement with sites and supporting local research staff to approach and recruit families were prioritised. High-quality study materials were developed to reduce local staff burden and promote and maintain study awareness. We describe strategies used and what worked/did not work. We suggest approaches for optimising elicitation of parents' experiences in difficult circumstances, highlighting the importance of engagement and commitment of PICU staff.

Brain-Directed Care: Why Neuroscience Principles Direct PICU Management beyond the ABCs

Major advances in pediatric intensive care (PICU) have led to increased child survival. However, the long-term outcomes among these children following PICU discharge are a concern. Most children admitted to PICU are under five years of age, and the stressors of critical illness and necessary interventions can affect their ability to meet crucial developmental milestones. Understanding the neuroscience of brain development and vulnerability can inform PICU clinicians of new ways to enhance and support the care of these most vulnerable children and families. This review paper first explores the evidence-based neuroscience principles of brain development and vulnerability and the impact of illness and care on children's brains and ultimately wellbeing. Implications for clinical practice and training are further discussed to help optimize brain health in children who are experiencing and surviving a critical illness or injury.

Moderate and severe diabetic ketoacidosis at type 1 diabetes onset in children over two decades: A population-based study of prevalence and long-term glycemic outcomes

OBJECTIVE

To investigate in a population-based pediatric cohort: prevalence of moderate-severe diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) at type 1 diabetes (T1D) diagnosis over two decades and its association with long-term glycemic control.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

Children <16 years diagnosed with T1D in Western Australia 2000-2019 were included and followed up for ≤14 years. Moderate-severe DKA at diagnosis was defined as serum pH < 7.2 or bicarbonate<10 mmol/L with hyperglycemia and ketosis. HbA1c was measured ~3-monthly. Trend in prevalence of moderate-severe DKA at diagnosis was investigated using a logistic regression model adjusting for sex, age, socioeconomic status, and area of residence. Long-term glycemic control associated with DKA at diagnosis was investigated using linear mixed models adjusting for the same variables and also for visit frequency, CGM and pump use.

RESULTS

Moderate-severe DKA occurred in 534 of 2111 (25.3%) participants. Odds of presenting with moderate-severe DKA increased by 4.1% (95% CI: 2.3, 5.9; p < 0.001) per year. Patients with moderate-severe DKA at diagnosis had higher HbA1c levels than other patients initially; the groups were similar between 2 and 6 years duration; from 7 years HbA1c levels tracked higher in the group with moderate-severe DKA at diagnosis with significant differences at 8 and 12 years (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

The increasing prevalence of DKA at diagnosis of pediatric T1D is concerning and highlights the need for early detection programs. Unlike a similar US study, this study did not find a consistent, clinically significant relationship between DKA at diagnosis and long-term HbA1c, raising important questions about the influence of other factors on long-term glycemic outcomes.

Comfort-holding in critically ill children: a scoping review

Purpose

To understand and summarize the breadth of knowledge on comfort-holding in pediatric intensive care units (PICUs).

Sources

This scoping review was conducted using PRISMA methodology. A literature search was conducted in MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, CINAHL, and the Cochrane CENTRAL Register of Controlled Trials. Search strategies were developed with a medical librarian and revised through a peer review of electronic search strategies. All databases were searched from inception to 14 April 2020. Only full-text articles available in English were included. All identified articles were reviewed independently and in duplicate using predetermined criteria. All study designs were eligible if they reported on comfort-holding in a PICU. Data were extracted independently and in duplicate.

Principal findings

Of 13,326 studies identified, 13 were included. Comfort-holding was studied in the context of end-of-life care, developmental care, mobilization, and as a unique intervention. Comfort-holding is common during end-of-life care with 77.8% of children held, but rare during acute management (51% of children < three years, < 5% of children ≥ three years). Commonly reported outcomes included child outcomes (e.g., physiologic measurements), safety outcomes (e.g., accidental line removal), parent outcomes (e.g., psychological symptoms), and frequency of holding.

Conclusion

There is a paucity of literature on comfort-holding in PICUs. This scoping review identifies significant gaps in the literature, including assessment of child-based outcomes of comfort-holding or safety assessment of comfort-holding, and highlights core outcomes to consider in future evaluations of this intervention including child-based outcomes, parent-based outcomes, and safety of the intervention.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12630-021-02090-3.

Parents' experiences of caring for their child in a Paediatric Intensive Care Unit: A literature review

The objective is to identify the available literature on parents' experiences in caring for children in the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU). Original research on parents experience in caring their child in PICU were identified from five online databases, namely CINAHL, Science Direct, Proquest, Cochrane, and Pubmed (2008-2018) using the terms "parent," "experience," "children", "paediatric intensive care" and "caring." We included articles addressing the parent's experiences while their child was admitted to PICU their needs and participation in the care of the child. Twenty-two papers have met the criteria for inclusion. Further review of these articles resulted in summarised topics - PICU parents' experience, parental stressors, and parental needs. Current research demonstrates a diversity of parent's experiences while caring for their child; however, little is known about interventions to improve and support parents who are in a difficult situation when their child being treated in PICU.

Development of a parent experience measure for paediatric critical care transport teams

BACKGROUND

A third of children admitted to paediatric intensive care units (PICUs) in the United Kingdom (UK) are transported by paediatric critical care transport services (PCCTs). Parents have described the transfer journey as particularly stressful. Critical care nurses have a key role in mitigating the impact of the journey on parents. Evaluating parents' experiences is important to inform service improvements.

AIM AND OBJECTIVES

Our aim was to describe the development of a new measure of parents' experiences of PCCTs, derived from data collected in the Differences in access to Emergency Paediatric Intensive Care and care during Transport (DEPICT) study.

DESIGN

A descriptive cross-sectional survey was used.

METHODS

As part of the DEPICT study, a 17-item transport experience questionnaire was developed and given to parents of children transported by PCCTs to 24 UK PICUs during a 12-month period. Analyses included exploratory factor analysis and a validation review by a PCCT stakeholder group.

RESULTS

Families of 1722 children (1798 journeys) completed questionnaires. Five items were excluded from further analysis as correlation coefficients were <0.3. Two factors explained 53% of the variance and all 12 items loaded on one of these factors. Factor 1 (8 items) explained 47% of the variance, had excellent internal reliability and the clustered items were conceptually coherent with a specific relevance to PCCTs; these were offered for consideration, with other items possibly discarded. Twenty-eight PCCT clinicians reviewed the questions. Using a 70% agreement threshold, one additional, previously discarded, item was identified for inclusion, resulting in a nine-item experience measure.

CONCLUSION

Our brief measure of parents' experience of critical care transport provides a standardized measure that can be used across all PCCTs, enabling national benchmarking of services and potentially increasing the collection and use of parent experience data to improve services.

RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE

Being able to measure experience provides an opportunity to understand how to make services better to improve experience.

Provider Consensus on Candidate Protective and Risk Factors for Adverse Psychosocial Outcomes Following Discharge From a PICU: A Modified Delphi Study

OBJECTIVES

Pediatric palliative care promotes interdisciplinary, family-centered care when children are faced with diagnoses threatening length and/or quality of life. A significant knowledge gap remains in how to best match pediatric palliative care resources to palliate the psychosocial impact of a PICU admission. This study was designed to identify drivers of adverse post-PICU psychosocial outcomes related to social determinants of health to inform pediatric palliative care services and improve post-PICU psychosocial outcomes.

DESIGN

Modified Delphi technique to develop consensus regarding social determinants of health and clinical factors affecting post-ICU psychosocial outcomes.

SETTING

All Delphi rounds were via an electronically mailed survey link.

SUBJECTS

First-round participants were PICU and pediatric palliative care clinicians at the study institution. Subsequent rounds invited participants from national PICU and pediatric palliative care professional online listserves.

INTERVENTIONS

None.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

Consensus was defined a priori as items assigned a score greater than or equal to 4 (5-point scale) by greater than75% of respondents. One-hundred twenty-six surveys were returned and scored. Social determinants of health risk factors included child protective services involvement (91%), caregiver with intellectual disability (87%), lack of friend or family support (82%), caregiver with behavioral health diagnosis (81%), teenage caregiver (79%), transportation challenges (79%), and language/cultural barrier (76%). Clinical risk factors included new home ventilator (94%), new tracheostomy (90%), greater than or equal to 3 hospitalizations in the prior 6 months (88%), and greater than or equal to 3 hospitalizations in the prior 12 months (82%). Social determinants of health protective factors included extended family support (91%), caregivers in a committed relationship (79%), and caregiver optimism (78%). Respondents reported that pediatric palliative care services had the greatest impact on caregiver satisfaction with the healthcare system (90%) and increased family involvement with state social services programs (80%).

CONCLUSIONS

Consensus on candidate risk and protective factors for post-ICU psychosocial challenges and candidate pediatric palliative care-sensitive variables were identified. Further research is needed to operationalize and optimize a screening tool based on these consensus items and test it prospectively.

Ability to Assent in Pediatric Critical Care Research: A Prospective Environmental Scan of Two Canadian PICUs

OBJECTIVES

To determine the number of patients considered not appropriate to approach for assent within the first 24 hours of PICU admission.

DESIGN

Exploratory prospective 1-month environmental scan.

SETTING

Two tertiary Canadian PICUs.

PATIENTS

Ninety patients age newborn to 17 years old admitted to the PICU during September 2016 (Site 1) or May 2017 (Site 2).

INTERVENTIONS

None.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

At PICU admission, 81% of patients were deemed not appropriate to approach for assent most commonly due to age, influence of psychotropic medications, and/or mechanical ventilation. At PICU discharge, 74% of patients were considered not appropriate to approach, most commonly due to age and/or developmental delay. There was moderate to good agreement between the research team and care team assessments of appropriateness for assent. Only 8% of patients considered not approachable at admission become appropriate to approach for assent by PICU discharge.

CONCLUSIONS

Very few patients were considered approachable for assent during the first 24 hours of PICU admission. Those who were considered appropriate to approach were less ill, spent less time in PICU, and were unlikely to be considered for enrollment in pediatric critical care research.

"Keeping pace according to the child" during procedures in the paediatric intensive care unit: A grounded theory study

OBJECTIVE

The goal was to explore how nurses interact with children in the paediatric intensive care unit during potentially painful procedures.

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY/DESIGN

This was a qualitative research study that used grounded theory approach. Data were collected through participant observation and interviews. Nurse-child interactions were observed and recorded during potentially painful procedures performed by nurses. Following observation of a procedure, nurses were interviewed about their intentions, feelings and emotions during the procedure.

SETTING

The study took place in a seven-bed paediatric intensive care unit in an academic teaching hospital in Japan.

FINDINGS

Children's acceptance of a procedure was induced by nurses' pacing, particularly in a pattern of "keeping pace according to the child." Such pacing involved soothing the child, explaining what was being done to the child at each step and acknowledging the child's emotions. All of these child-centred procedures provoked cooperation from the children even during painful procedures.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study suggests that a collaborative practice approach, in which nurses use a series of calming tactics, might improve children's perceptions of painful procedures.

Psychological and Psychiatric Outcomes Following PICU Admission: A Systematic Review of Cohort Studies

OBJECTIVE

Admissions to PICU places pediatric patients at increased risk of persistent psychological and psychiatric morbidity. This systematic review aimed to summarize and critically examine literature regarding psychological and psychiatric outcomes of pediatric patients following PICU admission.

DATA SOURCES

MEDLINE, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, Science Direct, PsycInfo, CINAHL, LILACS, and SciELO were searched up to May 2016.

STUDY SELECTION

Cohort studies about psychological and psychiatric outcomes of pediatric patients following PICU admission; full-text records published in English, Spanish, or Portuguese in peer-reviewed journals from 2000 to 2015 were included. Neonatal patient population (age, <1 mo), follow-up after PICU discharge (<3 mo), and nonprimary literature were excluded. Two reviewers independently screened studies based on the predetermined exclusion criteria.

DATA EXTRACTION

Data were extracted using an adapted tool. The internal validity and risk of bias were assessed using Newcastle-Ottawa Scale.

DATA SYNTHESIS

The search yielded 1,825 studies after the removal of duplications, of which eight met the inclusion criteria. Methodologic quality of the studies ranged from low to high, with an average score of five of nine. Of all the studies, half had a control group. Regarding the length of follow-up, most of the studies ranged from 3 to 12 months.

CONCLUSIONS

Psychological and psychiatric outcomes after pediatric critical illness appear to be substantial issues that need to be further studied. Our review highlights the need for psychological screening of pediatric patients and their parents following PICU admission since these patients are a vulnerable population at risk for developing psychiatric responses.

When and Why Do Neonatal and Pediatric Critical Care Physicians Consult Palliative Care?

BACKGROUND

Parents of children admitted to neonatal and pediatric intensive care units (ICUs) are at increased risk of experiencing acute and post-traumatic stress disorder. The integration of palliative care may improve child and family outcomes, yet there remains a lack of information about indicators for specialty-level palliative care involvement in this setting.

OBJECTIVE

To describe neonatal and pediatric critical care physician perspectives on indicators for when and why to involve palliative care consultants.

METHODS

Semistructured interviews were conducted with 22 attending physicians from neonatal, pediatric, and cardiothoracic ICUs in a single quaternary care pediatric hospital. Transcribed interviews were analyzed using content and thematic analyses.

RESULTS

We identified 2 themes related to the indicators for involving palliative care consultants: (1) palliative care expertise including support and bridging communication and (2) organizational factors influencing communication including competing priorities and fragmentation of care.

CONCLUSIONS

Palliative care was most beneficial for families at risk of experiencing communication problems that resulted from organizational factors, including those with long lengths of stay and medical complexity. The ability of palliative care consultants to bridge communication was limited by some of these same organizational factors. Physicians valued the involvement of palliative care consultants when they improved efficiency and promoted harmony. Given the increasing number of children with complex chronic conditions, it is important to support the capacity of ICU clinical teams to provide primary palliative care. We suggest comprehensive system changes and critical care physician training to include topics related to chronic illness and disability.

The meaning of personal diaries to children and families in the paediatric intensive care unit: A qualitative study

OBJECTIVE

To explore children's' and families' experiences of using intensive care diaries after discharge and the role of diaries in the process of recovering from a stay in the paediatric intensive care unit.

DESIGN AND SETTING

Qualitative, exploratory design. Data collection consisted of semi-structured interviews with five children and their families, conducted four to six months after discharge from the intensive care unit. Inclusion criteria were children and their families, with a stay for more than three days who had a diary written for them. Data were analysed using thematic analysis FINDINGS: Three main themes emerged: (i) value to the entire family, (ii) creating memories, (iii) the importance of pictures.

CONCLUSION

Diaries were used after discharge as a support for both children and families and played a role in making the paediatric intensive care experience meaningful by providing explanations and coherence. The findings suggest that a diary can serve as a catalyst for the coping process of the family unit. Findings also confirm how the children's memories are characterised by a sense of unreality. The diary could thus help fill in some of the missing picture to support the children in understanding their story.

Delirium in the Critically Ill Child: Assessment and Sequelae

Delirium is a common and serious neuropsychiatric complication in critically ill patients of all ages. In the context of critical illness, delirium may emerge as a result of a cascade of underlying pathophysiologic mechanisms and signals organ failure of the brain. Awareness of the clinical importance of delirium in adults is growing as emerging research demonstrates that delirium represents a serious medical problem with significant sequelae. However, our understanding of delirium in children lags significantly behind the adult literature. In particular, our knowledge of how to assess delirium is complicated by challenges in recognizing symptoms of delirium in pediatric patients especially in critical and intensive care settings, and our understanding of its impact on acute and long-term functioning remains in its infancy. This paper focuses on (a) the challenges associated with assessing delirium in critically ill children, (b) the current literature on the outcomes of delirium including morbidity following discharge from PICU, and care-giver well-being, and (c) the importance of assessment in determining impact of delirium on outcome. Current evidence suggests that delirium is a diagnostic challenge for clinicians and may play a detrimental role in a child's recovery after discharge from the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU). Recommendations are proposed for how our knowledge and assessment of delirium in children could be improved.

Stories of survival: Children's narratives of psychosocial well-being following paediatric critical illness or injury

Survival from critical illness can expose children to an array of negative physical and psychological problems. While the perspective of parents and professionals have been well documented, there is limited understanding of how childhood critical care survivors make sense of their experiences in relation to psychosocial well-being. We aimed to explore long-term psychosocial well-being of childhood survivors of critical illness through their stories. A qualitative, exploratory study using serial in-depth interviews was employed. Nine children (aged 6-15 years) were recruited to the study, 6-14 months post-discharge from a paediatric intensive care unit. Qualitative art-based methods were used with a responsive interviewing technique and data were analysed using narrative psychological analysis. Four themes emerged: disrupted lives and stories; survivors revealed uncertainties in their stories as they recalled their critical care event, exposure to death and dying; talking about extreme physical vulnerability provoked anxieties, mediating between different social worlds and identities; revealed the dynamic nature of survival and getting on with life; the prospective outlook survivors had on their existence despite newly manifesting adversities. Childhood survivors' stories identify challenges and adversities that are faced when attempting to readjust to life following critical illness that both enhance and impair psychosocial well-being.

Elements of Family-Centered Care in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit: An Integrative Review

This paper reports result from a systematic search and thematic analysis of qualitative literature to identify key issues related to family-centered care, behaviors, and communication skills that support the parental role and improve patient and family outcomes in the PICU. Five themes were identified: 1) sharing information; 2) hearing parental voices; 3) making decisions for or with parents; 4) negotiating roles; and 5) individualizing communication. These themes highlight several gaps between how parents want to be involved and perceive clinicians engage them in the care of their child. Parental preferences for involvement differ in the domains of information sharing, decision making, and power-sharing across a spectrum of parental roles from parents as care provider to care recipient. The PICU setting may place clinicians in a double bind trying to both engage families and protect them from distress. Asking families of critically ill children about their preferences for participation across these domains may improve clinician-family relationships.

Current views of the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit

International best practice endorses the use of standardized approaches in the management of pediatric patients in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU). There is increasing awareness of the risk of prolonged duration of mechanical ventilation as a consequence of morphine use leading to ventilator-associated pneumonia, extended PICU and hospital length of stay and increased morbidity and mortality. Accordingly, a fundamental outcome measure of this study was to determine whether raising awareness of these issues and the introduction of analgesia and sedation guidelines led to a reduction in the amount of analgesics and sedatives administered to PICU patients, while not exposing them to pain and distress. The present review article is devoted to discussing all important aspects of PICU.

Patient and public involvement in Paediatric Intensive Care research: considerations, challenges and facilitating factors

PLAIN ENGLISH SUMMARY

Paediatric Intensive Care (PIC) provides care to extremely ill children. Research in this area can be difficult because children are often too sick to discuss being involved in a study and parents are too upset about their child to think about taking part. This makes it even more important that research is well designed. We conducted a review of the literature about involving patients and the public (PPI) in PIC research. We wanted to know what PPI has taken place, who had been consulted and how this was undertaken. We reviewed the titles and abstracts of 4717 papers but found only 4 relevant papers. Three of the papers had consulted with parents of children who had been on PIC but only one study had spoken directly to a child themselves. The studies had used a number of different methods to invite people to take part but there did not appear to be one solution. All of the studies thought PPI was good for the development of their research but none of them had tried to measure what had changed as a result. There are difficulties associated with carrying out PPI in the PIC setting. Researchers need to share more of their experiences, positive and negative, so we can try to identify the best ways of carrying out PPI in PIC studies. This will help ensure that research studies are designed which address the needs and concerns of children and their parents.

ABSTRACT

Introduction Involving the public in health care research is reported to enhance the quality, appropriateness, acceptability and relevance to patients and the public (INVOLVE, Briefing notes for researchers, 2012; Staniszewska et al., Int J Technol Assess Health Care 274:391-9, 2011). Conducting research with children and young people is regarded as challenging and this makes it even more important that the research is well designed and understands the perspective of the child and family. We conducted a narrative literature review of the Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) literature, in the context of Paediatric Intensive Care (PIC). Our aims were to identify what PPI activity has taken place, with whom researchers engaged and what outcomes they reported. Method Electronic databases Medline, CINAHL and Embase (January 2000- June 2016) were searched using the search terms patient and public involvement and consultation. Participants were defined as child, parent, paediatric or pediatric and the context as intensive or critical care. Papers were excluded where activity reflected 'participants' as research subjects. Included papers were reviewed using the GRIPP checklist to appraise the quality of reporting. Results The search strategy identified 4717 abstracts. Seventeen papers were reviewed in full and four papers were included, all of which are case studies, describing a consultation approach. None of the papers described PPI as a multi-stage process. Only one study engaged with a former PIC patient and the majority of those consulted did not have any PIC experience. Activity was reported as being of benefit but there was no measurement of the impact of PPI. Conclusion There are numerous challenges associated with the conduct of research in PIC. It is therefore essential that the perspective of children, young people and their parents have been considered in the design of trials. However, there are few published accounts of PPI within the PIC context and the accounts that exist highlight issues about who to approach and when, and a lack of clarity about the best ways to engage with them. Research Ethics Committees and funding bodies expect to see evidence of PPI in research applications and we need to develop our understanding of what contributes towards successful PPI in this context.

Psychological Aspects of Care of the Critically Ill Child

Recent improvements in mortality rates in pediatric intensive care have led to an increasing focus on the physical and psychological morbidity of pediatric patients. In this review, guidance on the acute psychological management of children, during and shortly after their intensive care treatment, is provided. This is informed by the current state of knowledge regarding the nature of children's experiences of intensive care and the expanding literature on their subsequent psychological symptoms. The relevance to pediatric settings of the current debate about the significance of delirium, and other recent research and guidance regarding the management of psychological issues in adult intensive care settings, is considered. The importance of distinguishing between children's self-report and parents' proxy report is also discussed in relation to establishing the causes of the child's distress in this situation and suggestions are made of ways to help children better understand what has happened to them.

Mediators of Initial Acute and Later Posttraumatic Stress in Youth in a PICU

OBJECTIVES

Youth in a PICU and their parents may experience initial symptoms of acute stress disorder and later symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder. The objective of this study was to examine potential mediators of these conditions, including youth anxiety, depression, negative affect, and hospital fear, as well as parent anxiety and depression

DESIGN

This study involved a short longitudinal design that encompassed initial assessments in a PICU setting and later assessments 4-7 weeks after discharge.

SETTING

Youth and their parents completed dependent measures in the hospital and at follow-up at the youth's home or an outpatient clinic setting.

PATIENTS

Fifty youth aged 9-17 yrs were admitted to a PICU for respiratory illness/asthma (30.0%), trauma (26.0%), surgery and after surgery recovery (20.0%), infections/viral illness (8.0%), neurologic disorder (6.0%), or other (10.0%). Parents (n = 50) were also assessed.

INTERVENTIONS

None.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

Measures were utilized for youth anxiety, acute stress, depression, negative affect, posttraumatic stress, and hospital fear, as well as parent anxiety, acute stress, depression, and posttraumatic stress. Some youth (26%) and parents (24%) had substantial posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms develop. Youth acute stress disorder symptoms in the PICU predicted later youth posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms, parent acute stress disorder symptoms in the PICU predicted later parent posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms, and youth acute stress disorder symptoms in the PICU predicted later parent posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms. Youth anxiety, negative affect, and hospital fear mediated initial youth acute stress disorder symptoms and later youth posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms.

CONCLUSIONS

Youth in a pediatric intensive care unit are at increased risk for posttraumatic stress disorder and should be screened for acute stress disorder.

Children's psychological and behavioral responses following pediatric intensive care unit hospitalization: the caring intensively study

BACKGROUND

Pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) hospitalization places children at increased risk of persistent psychological and behavioral difficulties following discharge. Despite tremendous advances in medical technology and treatment regimes, approximately 25% of children demonstrate negative psychological and behavioral outcomes within the first year post-discharge. It is imperative that a broader array of risk factors and outcome indicators be explored in examining long-term psychological morbidity to identify areas for future health promotion and clinical intervention. This study aims to examine psychological and behavioral responses in children aged 3 to 12 years over a three year period following PICU hospitalization, and compare them to children who have undergone ear, nose and/or throat (ENT) day surgery.

METHODS/DESIGN

This mixed-methods prospective cohort study will enrol 220 children aged 3 to 12 years during PICU hospitalization (study group, n = 110) and ENT day surgery hospitalization (comparison group, n = 110). Participants will be recruited from 3 Canadian pediatric hospitals, and followed for 3 years with data collection points at 6 weeks, 6 months, 1 year, 2 years and 3 years post-discharge. Psychological and behavioral characteristics of the child, and parent anxiety and parenting stress, will be assessed prior to hospital discharge, and again at each of the 5 subsequent time points, using standardized measures. Psychological and behavioral response scores for both groups will be compared at each follow-up time point. Multivariate regression analysis will be used to adjust for demographic and clinical variables at baseline. To explore baseline factors predictive of poor psychological and behavioral scores at 3 years among PICU patients, correlation analysis and multivariate linear regression will be used. A subgroup of 40 parents of study group children will be interviewed at years 1 and 3 post-discharge to explore their perceptions of the impact of PICU hospitalization on their children and enhance our understanding of findings generated from standardized measures in the larger cohort study. An interpretive descriptive approach will guide qualitative data collection and analysis.

DISCUSSION

This study aims to generate new information regarding the magnitude and duration of psychological and behavioral disturbances among children admitted to PICUs, potentially leading to remedial or preventive interventions.

Protocol for a longitudinal qualitative study: survivors of childhood critical illness exploring long-term psychosocial well-being and needs--The SCETCH Project

INTRODUCTION

Life-threatening critical illness affects over a quarter of a million children and adolescents (0-18 years old) annually in the USA and the UK. Death from critical illness is rare; however, survivors and their families can be exposed to a complex array of negative physical, psychological and social problems. Currently, within the literature, there is a distinct paucity of child and adolescent survivor self-reports, thus limiting our understanding of how survivors perceive this adversity and subsequently cope and grow in the long-term following their critical illness. This study aims to explore and understand psychosocial well-being and needs of critical illness survivors, 6-20 months post paediatric intensive care admission.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

A longitudinal, qualitative approach will provide a platform for a holistic and contextualised exploration of outcomes and mechanisms at an individual level. Up to 80 participants, including 20 childhood critical illness survivors and 60 associated family members or health professionals/teachers, will be recruited. Three interviews, 7-9 weeks apart, will be conducted with critical illness survivors, allowing for the exploration of psychosocial well-being over time. A single interview will be conducted with the other participants enabling the exploration of contextual information and how psychosocial well-being may inter-relate between critical illness survivors and themselves. A 'tool box' of qualitative methods (semi-structured interviews, draw and tell, photo-elicitation, graphic-elicitation) will be used to collect data. Narrative analysis and pattern matching will be used to identify emergent themes across participants.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

This study will provide an insight and understanding of participants' experiences and perspectives of surviving critical illness in the long term with specific relation to their psychosocial well-being. Multiple methods will be used to ensure that the findings are effectively disseminated to service users, clinicians, policy and academic audiences. The study has full ethical approval from the East Midlands Research Ethics Committee and has received National Health Service (NHS) governance clearance.

Children's self-reported quality of life after intensive care treatment

OBJECTIVES

A number of studies have reported on parental/clinician reports of children's quality of life after intensive care treatment. The aim of this study was to establish children's own views of their outcome. [corrected].

DESIGN

Prospective cohort study. [corrected].

SETTING

Twenty-one bed PICU in a tertiary Children's Hospital.

PATIENTS

Ninety-seven children aged over 7 yr, with no preexisting learning difficulties, consecutively admitted to PICU over an 18 month period

INTERVENTIONS

Patients completed the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory and a post-traumatic stress screener, at 3 months and again at 1 year (n = 72) after discharge from PICU.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

At 3 months post-discharge, the mean total Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory score reported by the PICU group was lower than that reported in the literature for a non-clinical community sample (PICU mean = 79.1 vs community mean = 83.9, p = 0.003), but by 1 year, they were comparable (82.2, p = 0.388). The mean physical functioning subscale score remained lower (PICU mean=81.6 vs. community mean=88.5, p = 0.01), but improved significantly from 73.4 at 3 months (p = 0.001).Sub-group analyses revealed that the elective group reported higher emotional functioning than the community sample (91.0, p=0.005 at 3 months and 88.2, p = 0.038 at 1 year vs community mean=78.5), and made significant gains in social functioning between timepoints (79.1 to 91.4, p = 0.015).Finally, although total PedsQL scores at 1 year were not associated with measures of severity of illness during admission, they were significantly negatively associated with concurrent post-traumatic stress symptom scores (r = -0.40, p = 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

The self-report version of the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory proved to be a feasible and sensitive tool for assessing health related quality of life in this group of PICU survivors.

Quality of life in children with vesicoureteral reflux

Vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) is commonly diagnosed in children presenting with urinary tract infections. Antibiotic prophylaxis and ureteric surgery are standard treatments for these children. Our aim was to investigate whether health-related quality of life (HRQOL) was altered in children treated for VUR. Children aged 1-5 years with grade III or higher VUR were identified through electronic records at the Stollery Children's Hospital. Parents of these children were mailed the TNO-AZL Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research Academic Medical Centre Quality of Life (TAPQOL) questionnaire. QOL scores for this group were compared with normative controls from the instrument's creators using the Mann-Whitney U test. Thirty-two of the 96 (33%) mailed surveys were returned. Eight children had surgery, and 19 were treated with antibiotic prophylaxis. When comparing the VUR group with the control group, we found that anxiety and social functioning scores were significantly better in patients with VUR (p < 0.01). The VUR group had worse scores in problem behavior, stomach complaints ,and communication (p < 0.01). This study reveals that children with VUR have a reasonable QOL when compared with controls. However, the diagnosis of VUR and its management does have an impact on gastrointestinal complaints, behavior, and communication, which may occur as a result of chronic medical intervention.

Unrecognized hospital trauma as a source of complex psychiatric symptoms: a systematic case study with implications for children's rights and evidence-based practice

This article describes the psychological assessment and treatment of Paul (12). For several years, he had received numerous diagnoses from a range of specialists and been unsuccessfully treated for epilepsy and obsessive-compulsive disorder. Treatment was based on a formulation-driven transdiagnostic approach. Soon it was clear that the correct diagnosis was posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) precipitated by an event in hospital when Paul was 6. Two sessions of Children's Accelerated Trauma Treatment (CATT) led to rapid resolution of the main symptoms and gains were consolidated and maintained in further treatment and follow-up sessions. The case material is used to examine why the correct case formulation had been missed, evidence for the efficacy of CATT, and implications for evidence-based practice and children's rights.

Quality of postoperative course in children: endoscopic endonasal surgery versus sublabial microsurgery

BACKGROUND

The practice of endoscopic endonasal surgery is still limited in children because of the relative rarity of sellar lesions in the paediatric population. However, such an approach is increasingly reported in the literature as an alternative option to standard sublabial microsurgery, and its surgical results are being analysed. No information on the trend of the postoperative course is currently available. The goal of this paper is to assess the impact of these two different transsphenoidal approaches on the postoperative course.

METHODS

Thirty-one consecutive paediatric patients were treated for sellar region lesions by transsphenoidal surgery. Fourteen children (group A) underwent surgery with a microsurgical sublabial transsphenoidal approach between 2000 and 2005; the remaining 17 children (group B) underwent surgery with an endoscopic endonasal transsphenoidal approach between 2005 and 2009. The two groups were compared as to rate of admission to the PICU, relief from preoperative symptoms, early surgical complications, postoperative pain (Wong-Baker FACES Pain Scale) and length of postoperative hospital stay.

RESULTS

Children in group B showed decreased rates of admission to the PICU (35% versus 100%) and peroperative blood transfusions (23% versus 71%), and a shorter mean postoperative hospital stay (4 days versus 5.7 days). The pain perception was significantly lower in group B than in group A, as demonstrated by the scores registered during both the early (2.05 ± 0.74 versus 2.92 ± 0.91) and late postoperative period (0.82 ± 0.95 versus 1.64 ± 0.84). No remarkable differences in terms of operative time, symptom improvement and early complications were detected.

CONCLUSIONS

Endoscopic endonasal surgery can improve the quality of the postoperative course in children regardless of the type of lesions treated and the surgical complications.

Parental presence and visiting policies in Italian pediatric intensive care units: a national survey

OBJECTIVE

To investigate parental presence and visiting policies in Italian pediatric intensive care units (PICUs).

DESIGN

: Descriptive survey.

SETTING

All 34 Italian PICUs.

PATIENTS

Patients were not involved in this work.

INTERVENTIONS

None.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

A questionnaire was sent to the unit heads. Response rate was 100%. Median daily visiting time for parents was 300 mins; for other visitors, it was 120 mins. Twelve percent of PICUs had unrestricted policies; 59% did not allow the constant presence of a parent, even during the day. Visits from other relatives and from nonfamily were not permitted in 35% and 88% of units, respectively. Policies were not modified for a dying patient in 6% of PICUs. Children's visits were not allowed in 76% of units. Cardiac surgical PICUs were more likely to have restrictive visiting hours. Parents were permitted to be present at the bedside during ordinary nursing procedures, invasive procedures or cardiopulmonary resuscitation in 62%, 3%, and 9% of PICUs, respectively. No waiting room was provided in 32% of PICUs. Gowning procedures were compulsory for visitors in 94% of units. In 48% of PICUs, a formal process of revising visiting policies was ongoing. On patient admission, 77% of PICUs provided the family with informative material on the unit. Phone information on the patient was given frequently (often/always, 70% of PICUs).

CONCLUSIONS

In Italian PICUs, there is a marked tendency to apply restrictive visiting policies, not to allow parents 24-hr access at bedside, and to limit the presence of parents during procedures and cardiopulmonary resuscitation. A revision of current policies has begun, signaling a readiness for change.

Psychiatric morbidity in pediatric critical illness survivors: a comprehensive review of the literature

OBJECTIVES

To review the prevalence of psychiatric syndromes in pediatric critical illness survivors as well as to summarize data on vulnerabilities and pediatric intensive care unit exposures that may increase risk of developing these syndromes.

DATA SOURCES

MEDLINE (1966-2009), the Cochrane Library (2009, issue 3), and PsycINFO (1967-2009) as of August 9, 2009.

STUDY SELECTION

Case-control, cross-sectional, prospective cohort and retrospective cohort studies as well as randomized controlled trials.

MAIN EXPOSURES

Hospitalization for the treatment of a critical illness.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Assessments of psychiatric symptoms/disorders at least once after discharge.

RESULTS

Seventeen studies were eligible. The most commonly assessed psychiatric disorders were posttraumatic stress disorder and major depression. The point prevalence of clinically significant posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms ranged from 10% to 28% (5 studies). The point prevalence of clinically significant depressive symptoms ranged from 7% to 13% (2 studies). Preillness psychiatric and/or developmental problems and parental psychopathology were associated with vulnerability to psychiatric morbidity. Neither age nor sex of a child consistently increased vulnerability to postillness psychopathology. Exposure to increased severity of medical illness and pediatric intensive care unit service-delivery characteristics (eg, invasive procedures) were predictors of psychiatric illness in some but not all studies. Early postillness psychiatric symptoms were predictors of later psychiatric morbidity.

CONCLUSIONS

Psychiatric morbidity appears to be a substantial problem for pediatric critical illness survivors. Future research should include more in-depth assessment of post-critical illness depressive, anxiety, and psychotic symptoms, validate existing psychiatric instruments, and clarify how vulnerability factors, pediatric intensive care unit service-delivery characteristics, and severity of critical illnesses are associated with subsequent psychopathology.

Course and predictors of posttraumatic stress disorder in parents after pediatric intensive care treatment of their child

OBJECTIVE

To study posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in parents after unexpected pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) treatment of their child and to identify risk factors for its development.

METHOD

Parents completed PTSD questionnaires 3 and 9 months (N = 190) after PICU treatment. Risk factors included pretrauma data, medical data, social demographics and posttraumatic stress responses at 3 months.

RESULTS

In total, 30.3% of parents met criteria for subclinical PTSD and 12.6% for clinical PTSD at 3 months. Clinical PTSD prevalence rates did not change over time. At 9 months, 10.5% of parents still met criteria for PTSD. Number of earlier stressful life events, earlier psychosocial care and posttraumatic stress responses at 3 months predicted persistent subclinical and clinical PTSD.

CONCLUSIONS

PICU admission is a stressful event associated with persistent parental PTSD. Assessment of risk factors can facilitate detection of persistent PTSD for early intervention.

Does PELOD measure organ dysfunction...and is organ function a valid surrogate for death?

Background

In December 2007, the European Society of Intensive Care Medicine established a Task Force to develop standard operating procedures (SOPs) for operating intensive care units (ICU) during an influenza epidemic or mass disaster.

Purpose

To provide direction for health care professionals in the preparation and management of emergency ICU situations during an influenza epidemic or mass disaster, standardize activities, and promote coordination and communication among the medical teams.

Methods

Based on a literature review and contributions of content experts, a list of essential categories for managing emergency situations in the ICU were identified. Based on three cycles of a modified Delphi process, consensus was achieved regarding the categories. A primary author along with an expert group drafted SOPs for each category.

Results

Based on the Delphi cycles, the following key topics were found to be important for emergency preparedness: triage, infrastructure, essential equipment, manpower, protection of staff and patients, medical procedures, hospital policy, coordination and collaboration with interface units, registration and reporting, administrative policies and education.

Conclusions

The draft SOPs serve as benchmarks for emergency preparedness and response of ICUs to emergencies or outbreak of pandemics.