Understanding sleep, pain, and recovery in children after intensive care

Sleep, pain, and recovery in kids after pediatric intensive care (SPARK-PICU)

NIH-funded research Oregon Health & Science University · NIH-11194241

This project aims to understand how sleep and pain affect the long-term recovery of children who have been in a pediatric intensive care unit.

Quick facts

Grant typeR01 grant
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionOregon Health & Science University NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Portland, United States)
Project IDNIH-11194241 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

Many children who survive a stay in the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) experience lasting health challenges, including pain and sleep problems. We want to learn more about why these issues happen and how they impact a child's thinking skills, school performance, and overall well-being. By carefully looking at the connections between sleep, pain, and recovery, we hope to find new ways to help these children thrive after their time in the PICU. This work could lead to better support and interventions for young survivors.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Ideal candidates for future related studies would be children aged 0-11 years old who have previously been hospitalized in a pediatric intensive care unit.

Not a fit: Patients who have not experienced a pediatric intensive care unit stay or who are outside the specified age range may not directly benefit from this particular research.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to new strategies and interventions to improve long-term recovery, reduce pain, and enhance sleep quality for children after pediatric intensive care.

How similar studies have performed: While chronic pain and sleep disturbances are linked to worse executive function in other pediatric groups, this specific connection in PICU survivors is not fully understood, making this a novel area of focus.

Where this research is happening

Portland, United States

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.