Critical Care Nutrition for Children - Where are we now?

Pediatric critical care nutrition-focused clinicians and researchers eagerly await to see what directions current and future studies take and how PICU nutrition therapy may evolve over the next decade. Much is yet to be further understood regarding fundamentals including optimal energy and protein provision. Hypotheses related to nutrition in the PICU must be tested in well-designed trials. There are many exciting developments in areas including body composition monitoring via skeletal muscle ultrasound, tailoring nutrition provision to influence the microbiome, and combining nutrition and mobility interventions. Future studies must consider new frameworks, established consensus priorities and patient-reported outcomes with the shared ultimate goal of improving short- and long-term outcomes of critically ill children via nutrition interventions.