The Chronic Pulmonary and Ventilator Program at Boston Children's Hospital cares for children, adolescents, and young adults with severe lung disease and chronic respiratory failure.
Our services
Our program cares for children in both an outpatient clinic and inpatient (hospitalized) setting. Our goal is to help your child reach his full respiratory potential. We recognize the central role of your family in this process. In fact, we encourage family participation, and we work closely with your family members and your child's primary care physician to set goals and provide care.
Xavien was born at 26 weeks and spent the first seven months of his life in the NICU battling bronchopulmonary dysplasia. Thanks to Boston Children’s customized, long-term, whole-baby approach, Xavien is home, happy, and ready to celebrate!
Teamwork
Here at the Chronic Pulmonary and Ventilator Program, we strongly believe that teamwork is crucial in achieving the best results for your child. Our staff consists of an experienced team of clinicians, all of whom have specialized training in the care of children and young adults who have chronic lung disease. Our team includes:
- pediatric pulmonologists
- pulmonary nurses
- respiratory therapists
- orthopedists
- otolaryngologists
- surgeons
- home equipment companies to ensure that your child’s equipment is working properly (like troubleshooting problems and adjusting ventilator settings).
Caring for our patients
Our patients range in age from infancy to mid-adulthood. Many of our patients require medical technology to help them breathe, including assistive respiratory devices for cough and lung clearance, full and partial mechanical ventilation, non-invasive ventilatory supports, and oxygen. Our specific areas of expertise include:
- We care for your child in your home with medical equipment. Our respiratory therapists and nurses provide training and guidance to your family regarding home care, including monitoring breathing, safety, resuscitation, and how to recognize and respond to emergencies.
- We help hospitalized children who are dependent on medical technology for breathing assistance transition back to home and school.
- Our team weans children from oxygen therapy and ventilator dependency.
- Our staff offers long-term follow-up care for prevention of acute respiratory illness.
