Paediatric Pulmonology (or Paediatric Respiratory Medicine) is a subspecialty of paediatrics that focuses on the diagnosis, treatment, and management of respiratory (lung and airway) diseases in infants, children, and adolescents. It deals with both acute and chronic conditions affecting the respiratory system.
Children’s respiratory systems are still developing, and their immune systems are immature, making them vulnerable to a wide range of infections and other pulmonary disorders. Paediatric pulmonologists are trained to evaluate breathing difficulties, persistent coughs, wheezing, structural lung abnormalities, and sleep-related breathing issues.
Paediatric pulmonology also involves long-term management of chronic conditions like asthma, cystic fibrosis, and bronchopulmonary dysplasia, often requiring coordination with physiotherapists, dietitians, respiratory therapists, and allergists.
- Asthma – chronic inflammatory airway disease
- Pneumonia – bacterial, viral, or fungal lung infection
- Bronchiolitis – common in infants, usually viral (RSV)
- Cystic fibrosis – genetic disorder causing thick mucus buildup
- Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) – chronic lung disease in preterm infants
- Tuberculosis (TB) – pulmonary and extrapulmonary
- Recurrent respiratory infections
