The Department of Pulmonology covers the needs of all young patients with acute, recurrent or even chronic respiratory tract conditions.

The Department monitors patients with:

1. Specific and non specific respiratory tract infections
   
2. Recurring respiratory tract infections
   
3. Stridor (noisy breathing)
   
4. Asthma
5. Chronic bronchitis and bronchiectasis
6. Congenital malformations of the respiratory system
7. Aspiration syndromes
8. Recurrent pneumonia/ atelectasis
9. Lung disease of prematurity (follow up)
10. Interstitial lung diseases
11. Follow up on children with healthcare-associated respiratory tract conditions

Respiratory tract assessment is also performed on healthy children (athletes)

Normally, children are monitored as outpatients, save for the cases where hospitalization is required.

The completeness of the Department is proven by the fact that children, when deemed necessary, can undergo any applicable examination on the same day of their visit or following a scheduled appointment.

More specifically, the following examinations are carried out:

1. Pulmonary function testing via spirometry, before and after bronchodilator
   
2. Allergy testing via skin prick tests
   
3. Radiological diagnostics of the respiratory system
   
4. Sweat test
   
5. Immunology
   
6. Investigation of respiratory colonization/infections via culture samplings
   
7. Bronchoscopy on specific indications
   

Lastly, the therapeutic recommendation, which is individually formed for the young patient and results from the correlation of all data available, is discussed with the parents and the child’s pediatrician. The young patient is evaluated during a scheduled “follow-up on progress” visit. Both the parents and the child’s pediatrician are granted the possibility of ongoing support and consultation over the phone.

The Department of Pulmonology deploys advanced medical equipment to ensure that all pulmonary function tests on children and adolescents are conducted in a safe manner.

Sweat test

The sweat test is globally the most recognized method and screens cystic fibrosis patients. Cystic fibrosis concerns 1/3000-1/4000 children visiting the pediatrician and it is well known that timely diagnose of the disease can be beneficial on the final prognosis of a patient.

The sweat test is performed during a scheduled appointment, simultaneously with a pediatric respiratory assessment of the child, using a modern reliable method, which delivers distress-free results, both for the child and his/her parents, in 30 minutes time.