Coronavirus Update:
What patients and families need to know
Critical Care
Discover the conditions we treat and treatments we provide at Children's National Hospital. Providers at Children's National work with you and your family to decide on the best care plan for your child. Learn more about the Division of Critical Care Medicine.
Apnea is a term for the absence of breathing for more than 20 seconds. It can occur in full-term babies, but is more common in premature babies. The more premature the baby, the greater the chances that apnea will occur.
ECMO is a modified form of heart and lung bypass used on a temporary basis, and an alternative to conventional methods of life support.
In some cases, accidental poisoning of a child can be treated at home. In other cases, you will need emergency medical care. Learn more about first aid for poisonings in children.
Whole body hypothermia provides cerebral (brain) protection for newborns affected by hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE). Children’s National Hospital is the regional referral center for whole-body cooling (hypothermia) after newborns experience a hypoxic-ischemic injury.
Meconium aspiration syndrome occurs when a baby breathes in amniotic fluid containing meconium (a baby's first stools), which your health care provider will check for at birth. Read about this condition.
A baby born before 37 weeks of pregnancy is considered premature, that is, born before complete maturity. Learn more about this condition.
Sepsis is a term for severe infection that is present in the blood and spreads throughout the body. Learn more about this condition.