Introduction
Pediatric lung disease is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality
worldwide. A broad spectrum of lung diseases affects children from birth
to adulthood. These include asthma, cystic fibrosis, neuromuscular
disorders, chronic lung disease of prematurity, pulmonary hypertension,
interstitial and diffuse lung diseases, sleep disorders, and others. The
prevalence, morbidity, and mortality of these diseases vary widely.
Asthma affects 10-15 percent of all children and has a significant
negative impact on quality of life as well as other aspects of childhood
health and wellbeing. Unfortunately, more than 210 children die of
asthma each year in the United States.1 Cystic
Fibrosis affects more than 30,000 individuals in the US, with 50% of
them being children. Although life expectancy has significantly improved
in recent decades (44.4 years in 2018), many children with CF die each
year.2 The prevalence of other disorders is more
difficult to quantify, but as a whole they contribute to substantial
disease burden leading to poor health and wellbeing, decreased quality
of life, and disease-related morbidity and mortality. The availability
of Pediatric Pulmonologists to manage the long-term care of these
children, conduct clinical research trials, and investigate the
fundamentals of disease pathophysiology is crucial to addressing these
issues.