Emerging issues in pediatric pulmonology in India

Y K Amdekar1

  • 1J.J. Hospital, Mumbai.

Insights

Infants surviving intensive care in India often experience abnormal pulmonary outcomes. These include chronic lung disease, infections, and anatomical issues impacting growth and development.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Neonatology
  • Pulmonology

Background:

  • Ventilatory care for newborns has advanced in India.
  • Pediatricians increasingly encounter "intensive care nursery survivors".

Purpose of the Study:

  • To outline the spectrum of abnormal pulmonary outcomes in infants surviving neonatal intensive care.
  • To highlight the impact of these outcomes on overall child development.

Main Methods:

  • This is a review/discussion based on clinical experience and existing literature.
  • No specific new data collection was mentioned.

Main Results:

  • Survivors may face sudden death, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, reactive airway disease, and increased respiratory infections.
  • Anatomical complications like subglottic stenosis and tracheobronchomalacia are also noted.

Conclusions:

  • Abnormal pulmonary outcomes are a significant concern for neonatal intensive care survivors.
  • These respiratory issues profoundly affect feeding, growth, and neurodevelopmental trajectories.

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