About UPMC's Pediatric Pulmonology Program

The Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Allergy and Immunology provides consultative services for the diagnosis, evaluation and management of diseases of the respiratory tract, immune system and allergies. The Pulmonary section provides consultation in the diagnosis and management of respiratory problems and sleep disorders. The Allergy/Immunology section provides consultation in the diagnosis and management of allergies and immune-deficiency diseases. Comprehensive programs are provided for patients with:

Angioedema
Asthma
Allergic rhinitis (hay fever)
Anaphylaxis
Atopic dermatitis
Bronchopulmonary dysplasia
Chronic lung disease
Chronic or recurrent sinusitis
Cystic fibrosis
Food or drug allergies
Home mechanical ventilation
Insect hypersensitivity
Lung transplantation
Sleep Medicine
Urticaria

Experts

A multidisciplinary team of physicians, nurses, nutritionists and social workers offers patient management, patient/family education and support services.

Asthma Center

The Asthma Center brings together the hospital's Pulmonary Medicine, Allergy and Immunology programs. Experts on lung function, breathing sensitivities, and the immune system team up to provide the highest level of care for their patients.

This multidisciplinary approach capitalizes on expertise in each of these areas to greatly enhance the early diagnosis and treatment of children with asthma, as well as education on asthma awareness and prevention and specialized programs to diagnose and treat children from all socio-economic groups.

The Asthma Center at Children’s Hospital is outfitted with state-of-the-art equipment and technology to detect asthmatic conditions in children as young as two years old. Previously, diagnoses could not be made in children younger than five.

Earlier diagnosis and more effective management of this age group decreases the number of cases of undiagnosed asthma, and will significantly reduce the number of emergency department visits by children with asthma.

Cystic Fibrosis Center

The Antonio J. and Janet Palumbo Cystic Fibrosis Center (CF Center) is dedicated to providing state-of-the-art care to patients and families with cystic fibrosis, education for health care professionals, and conducting clinical and basic research in cystic fibrosis. The program is accredited by the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation for clinical care and research. Based on consistently good patient outcomes, our CF Center recently was selected by the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation as a benchmarking site, from which other programs could learn from our practices.

The pediatric program cares for approximately 280 patients, and nearly 200 patients are seen in the adult program. Our team includes board-certified pediatric pulmonologists, registered dietitians, nurses, social workers, and respiratory therapists, as well as administrative support staff. Our extended team includes representatives from gastroenterology, endocrinology, and medical genetics. A pediatric pulmonologist experienced in cystic fibrosis is available 24 hours a day.

Our multidisciplinary clinical services include evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment, including emphasis on promoting normal growth and development, slowing the progression of the illness, preventing and treating complications, and helping the family integrate even the most complex care regimens into their daily lives.

Education and Training Program

Training tomorrow's pediatric pulmonologists is an important part of the mission of the Cystic Fibrosis Center as part of the Division of Pediatric Pulmonary Medicine, Allergy and Immunology. The division takes full advantage of its strengths to provide educational opportunities that are second to none, including a fellowship program that offers comprehensive training in both the clinical and research aspects of pulmonary medicine.

Pediatric Sleep Program

The Pediatric Sleep Program at UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh is the region’s leader in diagnosing and treating sleeping problems in infants, toddlers, adolescents, and teens that arise from medical conditions or from behavioral or developmental problems. The Pediatric Sleep Program at UPMC Children’s is accredited by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. The team includes pediatric sleep experts from a variety of fields including psychology, pulmonology, otolaryngology, and diet/nutrition. The program also includes behavioral sleep psychologists and sleep technologists who help to provide comprehensive care for the unique medical, developmental, and behavioral concerns that affect sleep in children.

Our multidisciplinary team of specialists conduct a comprehensive sleep assessment, including an overnight sleep study if necessary, and suggest the most appropriate treatment for each child. Other types of sleep studies performed in the laboratory include positive airway pressure titration study, multiple sleep latency test, actigraphy testing, and maintenance of wakefulness test.

Pulmonary Exercise Laboratory

The Pulmonary Exercise Laboratory conducts exercise testing to evaluate cardiopulmonary and metabolic responses and to obtain an overall assessment of exercise tolerance in children with pulmonary, cardiopulmonary and endocrine disorders, as well as in children with symptoms of chest pain, dyspnea and exercise intolerance.

Pulmonary function testing is performed in conjunction with exercise testing in the evaluation of exercise-induced asthma. Procedures and tests include:

Progressive maximal exercise testing on a cycle ergometer
Progressive or steady-state submaximal exercise testing on a cycle ergometer
Steady-rate exercise testing on a motor-driven treadmill preceded and followed by pulmonary function testing to evaluate exercise-induced asthma

Pulmonary Function Laboratory

The Pulmonary Function Laboratory evaluates for proper functioning of the lung and respiratory system. A wide range of tests are available for both inpatients and outpatients. Pulmonary function testing may be requested by a pediatrician to evaluate symptoms such as coughing, wheezing or shortness of breath. Pulmonary function testing also is used to follow the course of some diseases, such as asthma and cystic fibrosis, once diagnosed, to monitor for possible treatment complications. In some cases, pulmonary function testing may be requested prior to surgery.

Pediatric Pulmonology Publications from UPMC

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