Updating the Epidemiology of Pediatric Critical Care in the United States: 2001-2022

The authors aimed to evaluate changes in hospital and ICU admission patterns for children in the U.S. from 2001 to 2022, particularly following the COVID-19 pandemic, and to assess the regionalization of pediatric critical care. Their findings indicate a significant increase in ICU admissions and prevalence among hospitalized children, alongside a rise in hospital costs, highlighting the urgent need for enhanced pediatric critical care capacity in the healthcare system.