Pediatric Education and Advocacy Kit (PEAK): Sepsis

Pediatric sepsis is the leading cause of infection-related death in children worldwide, claiming approximately 7,000 pediatric lives each year in the United States. Early recognition and timely treatment are critical, yet up to 8% of cases may be missed during emergency department visits, often due inconsistent screening, subtle symptoms, delayed interventions, and variability in the use of evidence-based treatment protocols (Cifra et al., 2020; Weiss et al., 2020; Balamuth et al., 2017).

PEAK: Sepsis was created to equip hospital and prehospital providers, patients, and families with practical, evidence-based resources to support the early recognition and treatment of pediatric sepsis. These tools empower care teams to respond quickly and confidently, while driving system-wide improvements in pediatric sepsis outcomes.

Last updated April 2025