The Division of Critical Care at Lurie Children’s treats children in the Lefkofsky Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU). We provide top-quality care using the most recent advancements in equipment and techniques, with specialized attention to pulmonary issues, critical care and other specialty needs. 

Watch the video below to learn how the specialists in the Lefkofsky PICU come together as a team to save the lives of the most critically-ill children.

Approach 

We believe in family-centered care​, which means we involve the whole family in a patient’s treatment plan. From bringing family members into care plan meetings, to providing support and distraction to a patient’s siblings, we do our best to help fit our care within your lifestyle.

The PICU provides advanced care to children of all ages and with a vast range of serious conditions. The latest interventions and treatments are available in the PICU, including extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), specialty ventilation techniques and transplant services​. We also work closely with the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU)​ and the Regenstein Cardiac Care Unit (CCU).

The division offers a fellowship program providing comprehensive training to pediatricians in the scientific and clinical practice of pediatric critical care medicine. Learn more about our fellowship program.

Nationally-Ranked Care

Lurie Children’s continues to be the #1 children's hospital in Illinois and is ranked in 11 specialties by U.S. News & World Report.

Conditions We Treat

We treat a wide range of serious medical and surgical conditions, such as:

Pediatric Critical Care Specialists

Our multidisciplinary team is specially trained to treat infants and children. In addition to board-certified doctors, the team includes specialists and subspecialists, including:

Rajit K. Basu, MD, MS, FCCM

Division Head, Critical Care Medicine; Posy and John Krehbiel Professorship in Critical Care Medicine

 M. Ikram Akhtar, MD

M. Ikram Akhtar, MD

Attending Physician, Critical Care

Colleen M. Badke, MD

Attending Physician, Critical Care

Matthew Barhight, MD

Attending Physician, Critical Care

Amanda C. Becker, MD

Attending Physician, Critical Care

Michael V. Certo, MD, MA, MM

Attending Physician, Palliative Care; Program Director, Hospice and Palliative Medicine Fellowship Pediatric Track

Bria M. Coates, MD

Bria M. Coates, MD

Attending Physician, Critical Care; Crown Family Research Scholar in Developmental Biology

Conrad L. Epting, MD

Conrad L. Epting, MD

Attending Physician, Critical Care

Alexandra Feldman, MD

Attending Physician, Critical Care

Samantha D. Friedman, MD

Attending Physician, Critical Care

Rachel E. Gahagen, DO

Attending Physician, Critical Care

Denise M. Goodman, MD, MS

Attending Physician, Critical Care

Catherine A. Humikowski, MD

Attending Physician, Critical Care

Steven Lestrud, MD

Steven Lestrud, MD

Medical Director, Respiratory Care; Attending Physician, Critical Care and Pulmonary Medicine

Marcelo R. Malakooti, MD, MBA, CPE

Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer, Hospital Operations and Medical Innovation; Medical Director of Lefkofsky Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU); Crown Family Professorship in Pediatrics

Candace N. Mannarino, MD

Attending Physician, Cardiology and Critical Care

Leslie A. Mataya, MD

Attending Physician, Critical Care

Kelly N. Michelson, MD, MPH

Kelly N. Michelson, MD, MPH

Attending Physician, Critical Care. Director, Center for Bioethics and Medical Humanities; Julia and David Uihlein Professor of Bioethics and Medical Humanities, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine

Robert E. Newmyer, MD

Medical Director, Transport Team and Transfer Center; Attending Physician, Critical Care

Erin D. Paquette, MD, JD, MBe

Erin D. Paquette, MD, JD, MBe

Attending Physician, Critical Care

Mary Pilarz, MD

Attending Physician, Critical Care

Andrew Prigge, MD

Attending Physician, Critical Care

Matthew Rowland, MD

Attending Physician, Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine; Assistant Medical Director, Vascular Access Team; Co-Medical Director, Rapid Difficult Airway Management

L. Nelson Sanchez-Pinto, MD, MBI, FAMIA

Attending Physician, Critical Care; Warren and Eloise Batts Research Scholar

Craig M. Smith, MD

Craig M. Smith, MD

Attending Physician, Critical Care

Brianna Sommer, MS, RDN, LDN

Registered Dietitian

Eric L. Wald, MD, MSCI

Attending Physician, Critical Care

Derek S. Wheeler, MD, MMM, MBA

Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer

Adrian D. Zurca, MD

Attending Physician, Critical Care

Eleanor E. Ward Anselmo, APRN-NP

Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, Critical Care

Lauren Baker Rhem, APRN-NP, CPNP-AC, CCRN

Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, Critical Care

Adam Clay, APRN-NP, PNP

Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, Critical Care

Laura Crisanti, APRN, NP

Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, Critical Care

Jacqueline S. Elegant , APRN-NP, RN, MSN, CPNP-AC

Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, Critical Care

Caroline Finn, APRN-NP

Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, Critical Care

Stephanie A. Gierman, APRN-NP, PNP-AC

Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, Critical Care

Emily Goldhar, APRN-NP, PNP

Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, Critical Care

Caroline Hodgson, APRN-NP, RN, DNP, CPNP-AC

Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, Critical Care

Mary Kelling, APRN-NP, PNP-AC

Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, Critical Care

Marian C. Malone, APRN-NP, PNP-AC

Acute Care Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, Critical Care

Briseyda Morales, MS, BSE, APRN-NP, CPNP-AC

Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, Critical Care

Kate Morrow, APRN-NP, CPNP-AC

Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, Critical Care

Nina Ogrizovich, APRN-NP

Acute Care Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, Critical Care

Brittney L. Pfister, APRN-NP, CPNP-AC, CCRN

Acute Care Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, Critical Care

Erica E. Prendergast, MS, APRN, CPNP

Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, Critical Care

Elizabeth M. Protacio, APRN-NP, CPNP-AC

Pediatric Acute Care Nurse Practitioner, Critical Care

Mary E. Pursley, APRN-NP, CPNP-AC

Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, Critical Care

Selina M. Rodriguez, APRN-NP, CPNP-AC

Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, Critical Care

Amelia Rountree, APRN-NP

Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, Critical Care

Lauren Sorce, PhD, APRN-NP, CPNP, AC/PC, FCCM

Manager, Pediatric Critical Care, Neurocritical Care, Palliative Care and Almost Home Kids APNs

Caitlin M. Stone, APRN-NP, CPNP-AC, CCRN

Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, Cardiology

Lindsey Swigart, MSN, APRN-NP, RN, CPNP-AC

Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, Critical Care (Pediatric Intensive Care Unit)

Jaime R. Braverman, MD

Attending Physician, Critical Care

Valerie E. Kalinowski, MD

Attending Physician, Critical Care

Joanna R. Kuppy, MD

Attending Physician, Critical Care

Stephanie Lam, DO

Attending Physician, Critical Care

Ancy S. Mohan, MD

Attending Physician, Critical Care

Pallavi P. Patwari, MD

Attending Physician, Critical Care

Paul N. Severin, MD

Attending Physician, Critical Care

Joanna C. Tylka, MD

Attending Physician, Critical Care

Marylouise K. Wilkerson, MD

Attending Physician, Critical Care Medicine

Ashley E. Wolf, MD

Attending Physician, Critical Care

Elizabeth A. Bello, MD

Elizabeth A. Bello, MD

Pediatric Intensivist, PICU at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago Central DuPage Hospital

Vytautas Sapiega, MD

Vytautas Sapiega, MD

Pediatric Intensivist, PICU at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago Central DuPage Hospital

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Critical Care Research

Our research includes all aspects of delivery of care to critically ill children, including treatment, prevention and understanding of diseases on the most basic biological level. The lessons we learn from our research are directly incorporated into medical practice, keeping Critical Care physicians at Lurie Children’s on the cutting edge of science, wellness, technology and healthcare.

Learn More

Our Location

Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago

225 E. Chicago Ave.
Chicago, Illinois 60611
312.227.4000

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Critical Care News & Stories

Precision Medicine for Sepsis in Children Within Reach

Pursuing a precision medicine approach for pediatric sepsis, researchers used artificial intelligence to analyze a large set of clinical data and find a distinct group of patients who might respond better to targeted treatments.  

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New Criteria for Sepsis in Children Based on Organ Dysfunction

Clinician-scientists from  Lurie Children’s were among a diverse, international group of experts tasked by the Society of Critical Care Medicine (SCCM) with developing and validating new data-based criteria for sepsis in children.  

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Nose Swabs May Distinguish Babies with RSV Needing Longer Intensive Care

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First Ever in Pediatrics: World Experts Set Agenda to Improve Care of Acute Kidney Injury in Kids

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COVID-19 Vaccination in Pregnancy Helps Protect Infants from Needing Hospital Care for COVID-19

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COVID-19 Vaccine Protects Kids and Teens from Severe Illness

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Philanthropy

Your support is vital 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 e-mail the Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago Foundation at foundation@luriechildrens.org or call 312.227.7500