A pediatric pulmonologist specializes in making sure children’s lungs and airways are working the way they should be. This can mean ongoing treatment of diseases like asthma, cystic fibrosis, or recurrent pneumonia. They also evaluate conditions such as a stubborn cough, recurrent noisy breathing, wheezing, or shortness of breath.
Generally, your pediatrician will send you to a pulmonologist when you have symptoms that won’t go away. Sometimes, kids are good to go after one appointment where they can recommend treatment for your pediatrician to follow. Other times, they may need to see your child a few times to follow up. Pulmonologists can do specialized testing, including pulmonary function testing, CT scans, radiographs, and more in order to diagnose and treat lung issues.
If you have concerns about your child’s breathing or lungs, talk to your child’s pediatrician. If they find anything out of the ordinary, they may refer you to a pediatric pulmonologist for further evaluation and management. As always, we are more than happy to see you at St. Louis Children’s Hospital.
