Management of pediatric delirium in critical illness: a practical update

Pediatric delirium (PD) is an acute state of brain dysfunction and is often seen in the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU). There is a growing awareness of its clinical interdisciplinary importance. The aim of this article was to describe the three clinical presentations, to evaluate the differential diagnosis and to give a concise and practical update for the pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatment of PD at the PICU, based on recent literature and expert opinions. We discuss an interdisciplinary flow chart which helps the reader dealing with the diagnosis and management of any acute emotional and or behavioral disturbance, of which PD is a special case.