The Ruth D. & Ken M. Davee Pediatric Neurocritical Care Program aims to improve neurologic outcomes following brain injuries and to reduce neurologic complications of critical illness.
Since its inception in 2005, The Ruth D. and Ken M. Davee Pediatric Neurocritical Care Program has made significant contributions that have advanced understanding and appreciation for the important role of highly specialized neurocritical care for patients in the intensive care setting. This is the only program of its kind in the greater Chicago area, and one of the few in the nation that provides neurocritical care services for patients in the pediatric, cardiac and neonatal intensive care units (ICUs). This interdisciplinary program combines the knowledge, experience and resources of physicians, nurses and scientists in the Divisions of Neurology, Critical Care, Neurosurgery, Medical Psychology, Neuroradiology, and Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Lurie Children’s and the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab. After discharge from the ICUs, patients are followed and treated in a unique neurocritical care outpatient clinic for long-term management of neurologic injury.
The program is recognized as a national leader in pediatric neurocritical care and is part of the Divisions of Neurology and Critical Care.
Why Choose Lurie Children's?
We focus both on the acute detection and management of brain injury in the ICU, and on the long-term management of the injury and its complications. We believe that early recognition and targeted therapies in the ICU help us produce the best outcomes in treating acute brain injuries.
In addition to our specialists, we use advanced technologies to monitor brain function and to guide therapies, including:
- Continuous video EEG monitoring to detect seizures or changes with cerebral activity
- Transcranial dopplers to measure cerebral blood flow
- Intracranial pressure monitoring
- Near infrared spectroscopy to assess cerebral metabolic demand
- Pupillometry to assess autonomic function
- Optic nerve ultrasound
- CT and MR imaging
- Cerebral angiography
Conditions We Treat
The neurocritical care team evaluates and treats infants and children hospitalized in the intensive care units with a wide range of serious neurologic conditions, including:
Meet Our Team
Megan Barry, DO
Attending Physician, Neurology
Joshua L. Goldstein, MD
Attending Physician, Neurology
Divakar S. Mithal, MD, PhD
Attending Physician, Neurology; Founders' Board Chair in Neurocritical Care
Andrea C. Pardo, MD
Attending Physician, Neurology; Medical Director, Ruth D. & Ken M. Davee Pediatric Neurocritical Care Program
Rachel Pauley, MD
Attending Physician, Neurology and Epilepsy Center
Craig M. Smith, MD
Attending Physician, Critical Care
Michele G. Mills, MS, APRN, CPNP
Family Nurse Practitioner, Pediatric Acute Care Nurse Practitioner, Neurocritical Care
Erica E. Prendergast, MS, APRN, CPNP
Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, Critical Care
Carolina Salazar, DNP, APRN-NP, CPNP-AC
Nurse Practitioner, Neurology
Sarah Rose
Clinical Research Coordinator
Our extended team involves collaboration with our colleagues in:
- Neurosurgery
- Neuroradiology
- Interventional radiology
- Child psychiatry
- Rehabilitation Medicine from the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab
- Occupational and physical therapy
Referrals & Second Opinions
We welcome referrals and requests for second opinions. Physicians can arrange emergency patient transport to the PICU by calling the Transport Team at 1.800.540.4131.
To speak with the neurocritical care attending on call, please contact the Division of Neurology at 312.227.3550.
Our Location
Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago
225 E. Chicago Ave.Chicago, Illinois 60611
312.227.4000
What to Expect
Your child will receive Neurocritical Care consultation, available 24-7, in the PICU, CICU, or NICU if there are neurologic concerns from the ICU team. The primary ICU team will provide around the clock targeted neurocritical care as part of the multidisciplinary team.
Resources & Support
For more information about pediatric brain injury, please view these helpful websites:
Fellowships
With the support of The Davee Foundation, our program has become a top training site for medical professionals seeking to gain competency and knowledge in the recognition, evaluation and management of acute neurologic injury in children. We have a successful track record of training high caliber subspecialists who are already making an impact on the field.
Education and advocacy are important components of our program and Lurie Children’s offers one of the few pediatric neurocritical care fellowship programs in the country. Our former trainees, including intensivists and neurologists, have appointments as faculty members in neurocritical care in the United States and Canada.
For questions regarding the fellowship, please contact Andrea Pardo, MD, at apardo@luriechildrens.org or Michele Mills, APN, at mgmills@luriechildrens.org.
Research
All of our faculty are involved in clinical or basic science research related to neurologic injuries.
- EEG monitoring during Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation
- Neurologic complications of cardiac arrest
- Neurologic complications of acute liver failure
- Management of severe traumatic brain injury
- Long-term outcomes following acute brain injury
View a list of recent publications
I-ACQUIRE Research Study
The I-ACQUIRE research study is recruiting infants and toddlers who have had a stroke. Click through the below links to learn more:
Neurocritical Care Program News & Stories
What to Do If a Child Hits Their Head
Most minor head bumps and bruises won’t cause serious harm, but it is important to watch for signs of more serious injury if your child hits their head.
Pediatric Strokes Are More Common Than You Think
Childhood stroke affects about 1 to 8 in 100,000 children in the western hemisphere.
Macklyn’s Story: Neurocritical Program Optimizes Outcome After Bacterial Meningitis
When Angela and Jake welcomed their daughter into the world at 36 weeks, they quickly found their joy was overshadowed with concern for her health.
Kids with Headache after Stroke Might be at Risk for Another Stroke
Philanthropy
The Davee Foundation’s visionary investments have elevated Lurie Children’s stature as a clinical and academic leader in the field of pediatric neurocritical care. Your support is important in helping us continue to make a difference in the lives of patients and families. Lurie Children’s relies on philanthropic funding to enhance its programs, services and research for children.
To learn more, please contact Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago Foundation at foundation@luriechildrens.org or call 312.227.7500.