Detecting delirium among small patients in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit is tricky, since children are often heavily sedated and may not be able to articulate their visions or fears. 

“Any child who is exposed to the chaotic ICU environment, with constant light, noise, sedative medications, and resultant sleep disturbances, is at major risk for delirium,” says Johns Hopkins’ Sapna Kudchadkar, an assistant professor of pediatric anesthesiology and critical care. “We’re developing tools for identifyi…