Childhood Interstitial Lung Disease (chILD)
Childhood lung disease, or chILD, is a broad term for a group of rare lung diseases that can affect babies, children, and teens. These diseases have some similar symptoms, such as , rapid breathing, and shortness of breath.
Childhood Interstitial Lung Disease (chILD)
Childhood (in-ter-STISH-al) lung disease, or chILD, is a broad term for a group of rare lung diseases that can affect babies, children, and teens. These diseases have some similar symptoms, such as , rapid breathing, and shortness of breath.
These diseases also harm the in similar ways. For example, they damage the that surround the lungs‘ (al-VEE-uhl-; air ) and (airways). Sometimes these diseases directly damage the air sacs and airways.
The various types of chILD can decrease lung function, reduce levels, and disturb the breathing process.
Overview
Researchers have only begun to study, define, and understand chILD in the last decade. Currently, they don’t know how many children have chILD. They also don’t know how many children have each type of chILD.
Diagnosing chILD and its specific diseases is hard because…