We provide comprehensive care to patients from infancy through adolescence and young adulthood, managing a wide spectrum of respiratory system disorders. Our services encompass state-of-the-art diagnostics, interventions and management delivered in a timely manner. We evaluate children presenting with various of respiratory symptoms, including:
Persistent or chronic cough
Excessive phlegm and chestiness
Breathing difficulties and exercise-related respiratory issues
Persistent or recurrent noisy breathing
Persistent or recurrent wheezing
Frequent chest infections
Abnormal findings in chest X-rays and other investigations of the respiratory system
Sleep-related problems such as poor, restless sleep, snoring, difficulty maintaining sleep or excessive daytime sleepiness
We manage conditions such as:
Asthma
Allergic rhinitis
Pneumonia
Other respiratory tract infections such as bronchiolitis
Pleural diseases
Chronic lung diseases such as childhood interstitial lung disease, bronchiectasis, cystic fibrosis, and bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD)
Immunodeficiency-related frequent chest infections (in conjunction with the immunology team)
Neuromuscular disorders
Lung aspiration syndromes, including swallowing abnormalities
Home ventilation requirements
Chest wall deformities
Congenital abnormalities of the airways and lungs
Sleep-related breathing disorders (such as obstructive sleep apnoea - OSA) and common behavioural sleep problems
Other diseases with lung involvement
- Lung Function and Allergy Testing
- We provide a wide range of diagnostic services, including a lung function laboratory equipped with various tests to diagnose childhood respiratory conditions. These tests include spirometry, lung volumes, diffusion capacity, exercise stress testing and exhaled nitric oxide evaluation. We also provide lung function assessments for preschool children using impedance oscillometry. Recognising the critical role of allergies in conditions like asthma, we offer allergy tests, such as skin prick testing and in-vitro blood testing, as part of our comprehensive evaluation of allergic children.
Paediatric Fibreoptic Bronchoscopy Service
We offer a paediatric flexible fibreoptic bronchoscopy service, which includes broncho-alveolar lavage, for patients ranging from newborns to adolescents. This procedure enables us to closely examine the lungs and airways, collect samples for further analysis, and treat certain airway and lung conditions. Most procedures can be performed under sedation, without the need for general anaesthesia.
Chronic Pulmonary Disease
We manage a wide range of chronic lung disorders, including, but not limited to, bronchiectasis, childhood interstitial lung diseases, bronchopulmonary dysplasia and cystic fibrosis.
We provide a full range of lung function tests, along with radiological and pathological facilities for diagnosis and evaluation. Sweat testing by pilocarpine iontophoresis for cystic fibrosis is also available at our centre.
In providing long-term care for children with chronic respiratory disorders, we collaborate closely with physiotherapists, occupational therapists, nutritionists, social workers and other paramedical staff to ensure holistic care.
Multidisciplinary Clinics
We host multidisciplinary clinics for children with neuromuscular disorders. In these clinics, patients consult with paediatricians specialising in pulmonary medicine and sleep, alongside other specialists, in a single session. This approach minimises the number of hospital visits required. Our team closely monitors the patient's respiratory health and manages any respiratory complications arising from the underlying neuromuscular condition. For advanced disease management, we offer home respiratory support and ventilation services.
Children with swallowing disorders often experience feeding difficulties and/or recurrent or chronic lung diseases due to recurrent aspiration into the airways and lungs.
Our aero-digestive clinic conducts clinical evaluations for patients suspected of having these conditions. Evaluations are carried out through a multidisciplinary approach, involving paediatricians specialising in gastroenterology, nutrition, hepatology and liver transplantation, dietitians and swallowing specialists. Diagnostic tests may include laryngoscopy, bronchoscopy, FEES (fibreoptic endoscopic evaluation of swallowing) and videofluoroscopy. Following diagnosis, patients receive appropriate management and follow-up care.
We also offer ongoing assessment and rehabilitation for children who have undergone tracheostomy, including training for speech and vocalisation.
Our sleep and airway clinic addresses complex sleep-related issues in children, managed by a team including paediatric pulmonologists, ENT surgeons, developmental paediatricians and paediatric sleep psychologists.
Services offered include screening and diagnostics for conditions such as obstructive sleep apnoea and other sleep-related breathing disorders, which may present symptoms such as excessive daytime sleepiness and snoring.
Additionally, we address common behavioural sleep issues such as night-wakings, night-time fears and bedtime resistance.
