Paediatric respiratory medicine encompasses diseases of the respiratory system in children (from babies, children, to young people), including the upper and lower airways, lung parenchyma, pleura, mediastinum, pulmonary circulation, chest wall, and ventilatory control system (awake and asleep). It incorporates knowledge of lung development and developmental physiology, normal and disordered respiratory structure and function, clinical respiratory diseases, and the specialised diagnostic techniques, tests, and procedures employed in clinical assessment and management.

Paediatric respiratory physicians are involved in the diagnosis and management of acute and chronic, uncomplicated, and complex respiratory conditions in children and young people. This includes children with difficult-to-treat asthma, complicated pneumonia and other respiratory infections, cystic fibrosis and bronchiectasis, and rare lung diseases. Paediatric respiratory physicians promote and advocate on public health issues at the individual, local, and national level to promote lung health. This includes the promotion of hygiene and health practices such as immunisation to reduce the transmission and severity of respiratory infections, practicing culturally safe care, and promoting and supporting nicotine and vaping cessation.

Paediatric respiratory physicians:

Conduct and interpret clinical, radiological, and laboratory investigations for children presenting with a variety of respiratory issues and symptoms of sleep-disordered breathing, including lung function testing, polysomnography, and radiological imaging.

Diagnose and manage children in a variety of settings. Paediatric respiratory physicians see patients with a wide range of respiratory diseases and conditions while working across several settings (including academic, public clinics and hospital, private clinics and hospital, and pulmonary function and scientific laboratories), situated in metropolitan and/or outreach communities, including telehealth environments.

Perform interventions including oxygen therapy, non-invasive ventilation, aerosol therapy, and bronchoscopy.

Provide acute, longitudinal, transition, and end-of-life care. Paediatric respiratory physicians establish long-term therapeutic relationships with children and their families, utilising a multidisciplinary approach. They work to manage and ease patient discomfort both acutely and in the practice of end-of-life care, and support young people in their transitions to adult care.

Apply a multidisciplinary approach. Paediatric respiratory physicians are required to work effectively as part of a multidisciplinary team, including sharing care within a clinical care network for individual children. They may be called upon to be the team leader and have a collaborative approach focused on building caring networks and relationships.

Work sensitively with a variety of patients. Paediatric respiratory physicians work with children and their carers to address determinants of health that affect them (including social and cultural determinants of health) and their access to needed health services or resources, providing education and support in a professional, empathic, and non-judgemental manner.

Demonstrate strong communication skills. Paediatric respiratory physicians must develop a personable interviewing technique and an ability to relate to children, young people, and their carers. It is also essential that they appreciate when referral to a more appropriate or more qualified practitioner in general paediatric and/or a particular subspecialty is necessary.

Manage resources for the benefit of patients and communities. Paediatric respiratory physicians apply a biopsychosocial approach to ensure the delivery of efficient, cost-effective, and safe care for the benefit of their patients and communities (metro and regional).

Apply a scholarly approach. Paediatric respiratory physicians conduct academic research to discover better ways of understanding, diagnosing, treating, and preventing disease in children and young people. They apply research to improve the treatment and management of children and young people.

Last modified: Wednesday, 20 August 2025, 3:42 PM