Providing pediatric neurocritical education across the ages: Bridging of neonatal neurocritical care into pediatric neurocritical care training.

Abstract

Pediatric neurocritical care is a field dedicated to providing specialized assessment and care of critically-ill children with neurologic disease or at risk of neurologic compromise. Fellowship programs for providers interested in specializing in pediatric neurocritical care are growing and developing to meet the needs of trainees and the patient populations that they serve. Fetal and neonatal neurocritical care fellowship remains a separate opportunity for training; however, inclusion of fetal and neonatal neurology education into pediatric neurocritical care broadens understanding of normal and pathologic anatomy and physiology, diagnostic interpretation of the developing brain, targeted management interventions, family counseling and prognostication, and long-term optimization of outcomes. For instance, the care of neurologic injury in congenital heart disease emphasizes the incorporation of medical education across the lifespan. Additionally, neonates requiring NICU admission and care are more likely to require future PICU care and be served by neurocritical care providers. Furthermore, neonates with neurologic injury or at risk for neurologic injury are not exclusively admitted to neonatal units. Education across the age-spectrum inclusive of fetal and neonatal neurology is valuable for trainees in understanding underlying disease processes, management, and sequelae and promotes the growth of the field of pediatric neurocritical care.