Pediatric pulmonology

Pulmonary conditions don't just affect your child's daily life: they affect their quality of rest. Particularly in kids, not getting enough sleep and experiencing sleep interruptions can be detrimental to overall health and development. As such, our pediatric pulmonologists offer different types of testing to monitor pulmonary function and its effects on the health of your child.

We are home to the most comprehensive outpatient pulmonary lab in the region, staffed by a team of board-certified pediatric radiologists, pulmonary function technicians, social workers, nutritionists and Child Life specialists. These dedicated professionals work together to both understand the full scope of your child's condition and give you the tools to combat it. This begins with testing, which can include:

• Pulmonary function tests (PFTs) — PFTs measure lung volume, capacity, amount of air inhaled and exhaled during breathing, the amount of air left in the lungs after a breath and the overall rate of air flow. Examples of PFTs we offer include spirometry, plethysmography, fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) testing, impulse oscillometry and full exercise testing.
• Sleep studies — These overnight tests are performed under the observation of our highly-trained sleep specialists, who monitor brain waves, blood-oxygen levels, eye and leg movements, heart rate and quality and rate of breathing during sleep.

We strive to ensure that the children of Western North Carolina have access to extensive pulmonary care, regardless of location. Our hospital's regional asthma disease management program was designed to address health disparities in underserved and impoverished children living with asthma in rural communities. With a family-focused approach built on learning to manage environmental triggers, we connect kids and families with other community resources to help improve conditions.

Children in certain areas can be at higher risk for lower school performance, decreased attendance, fragile nutritional status and inadequate housing. Through our program, you and your children can be given evidence-based care and education at homes, at your childcare center, your child's school or other community sites. We embrace a holistic approach based in compassion and advocacy, and accept referrals from your child’s primary care provider, school nurse or social worker.