Pulmonary & Sleep Medicine
The Division of Pulmonary & Sleep Medicine is dedicated to providing excellent clinical care to children with a variety of breathing and sleep disorders through our clinical affiliate Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago while training the next generation of pediatricians with an interest in pulmonary and sleep medicine. This rapidly expanding division has clinical and research interests in specialized areas such as aerodigestive disorders, asthma, cystic fibrosis, interstitial lung disease, neuromuscular disorders, primary ciliary dyskinesia, pulmonary hypertension and technology-dependent children with complex care needs.
I believe that through effective communication, mutual collaboration and intellectual curiosity, we can facilitate partnerships in clinical care and develop academic tools to further the fields of pulmonary and sleep medicine for children both locally and nationwide."
—Maria Dowell, MD
Interim Division Head, Pulmonary & Sleep Medicine
What We Do
Patient Care
In 2021, U.S. News and World Report ranked Lurie Children’s in the top 20 pediatric pulmonary programs in the nation. Clinical facilities include a pulmonary inpatient unit and outpatient facilities at Lurie Children’s and eight satellite sites. Learning resources, services and programs include:
- A state-of-the-art sleep laboratory
- Flexible bronchoscopy service
- Pulmonary function laboratory, including spirometry, plethysmography, impulse oscillometry, diffusion capacity testing and a pulmonary exercise laboratory
- Full-service pediatric pulmonology inpatient and consultative service
- A nationally recognized Cystic Fibrosis Center with approximately 200 pediatric patients
- Additional subspecialty programs such as high-risk asthma, pulmonary hypertension, pulmonary habilitation, interstitial lung disease, neuromuscular, aerodigestive disorders and primary ciliary dyskinesia
Research
The Division of Pulmonary and Sleep Medicine conducts innovative and groundbreaking research exploring the pathogenesis and treatment of various lung and sleep disorders in children as well as distinct interests in healthcare disparities in pediatric respiratory disease.
Education
Located within Lurie Children's on the downtown Northwestern campus, medical students, residents and fellows learn at the city’s largest pulmonary practice within a dedicated academic medical center. Pediatric residents can choose Pulmonary & Sleep Medicine subspecialty rotations and learn through daily inpatient care of patients with a variety of pulmonary disorders, such as cystic fibrosis, asthma, bronchopulmonary dysplasia and neuromuscular respiratory weakness. Our fellowship program harnesses the clinical and research expertise of Lurie faculty as well as the academic resources of Northwestern University to provide the optimal training environment.
Advocacy
Faculty members serve on the boards of multiple national academic organizations, foundations and committees, playing a significant role in promoting advocacy efforts at national, state and local levels. From Capitol Hill to the Chicago City Council, staff raise awareness and support important access to care legislation.
Meet the Team
Programs
Pediatric Sleep Medicine
This newer medical discipline is dedicated to clinical care, advocacy, education and research in all areas of Pediatric Sleep Medicine including sleep-disordered breathing (pediatric obstructive sleep apnea, pediatric central sleep apnea, sleep-related hypoventilation syndromes, non-invasive CPAP, bilevel PAP therapy and non-invasive ventilation), narcolepsy/cataplexy, circadian rhythm disorders, nightmares sleep disorders, parasomnias, sleepwalking, restless leg syndrome/periodic limb movement disorder, and insomnia. Since 1995, Lurie Children's Sleep Center has evaluated and/or treated more than 30,000 children.
Pulmonary Habilitation Program
The Pulmonary Habilitation Program Transitional Care Unit is a medical home for children with pulmonary insufficiency requiring mechanical ventilation. The program offers trainees and providers an opportunity to explore the latest approaches to treating technology dependent and medically complex patients.
Cystic Fibrosis Center
The Cystic Fibrosis (CF) Center at Lurie Children’s has been a Cystic Fibrosis Foundation-accredited cystic fibrosis care center since 1963, and is the largest CF center in Illinois. A patient population of 200 children and 100 adults, multiple ongoing CF-related research studies, and active participation in advocacy and community outreach efforts all provide varied opportunities for advancing care for children with CF.
Neuromuscular
Trainees in the Pulmonary Division can join Lurie’s multidisciplinary programs to provide leading edge treatment and supportive care for children with pulmonary hypertension or neuromuscular disorders, including spinal muscular atrophy, myasthenia gravis, Duchenne/ Becker muscular dystrophy, congenital and mitochondrial myopathies and peripheral neuropathies like Charcot-Marie-Tooth.
Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia (PCD)
Lurie Children’s is now an accredited “PCD Center of Excellence” and the only pediatric PCD center in Illinois, offering genetic testing and nasal nitric oxide measurement to screen for this chronic, progressive disorder, and a dedicated, growing, PCD outpatient clinic.
Aerodigestive
The Aerodigestive Program at Lurie Children’s serves children with complex airway disorders. By working collaboratively with Otolaryngology, Gastroenterology, and Speech and Language Pathology teams, both in the clinic and in the operating room, we provide optimal, individualized care. Trainees will be provided with ample opportunity for bronchoscopy in collaboration with a variety of other services.
High-Risk Asthma (HRA)
Lurie Children’s Asthma Program treats more children with asthma than any other area hospital or medical center, providing world-class care for pediatric patients across the spectrum of severity in partnership with the Division of Allergy and Immunology when indicated. A team of physicians, nurses, respiratory therapists and a dedicated social worker staff a weekly High-Risk Asthma clinic specifically for those with barriers to care and/or therapy resistant asthma.
ChiLD
Lurie Children’s pulmonary division participates in a multicenter effort to build a national registry documenting Childhood Interstitial Lung Disease (CHiLD) epidemiology, prognosis and progression. These collaborative efforts are expected to provide valuable insights into disease occurrence and prevalence to further development of new therapies.
Pulmonary Hypertension
Pulmonary Hypertension Service is the only of its kind for pediatric patients in the Chicagoland area. The program specializes in treating patients from birth through adolescence in this very complex disease process. Our team works with the Neonatology, Cardiology, and Intensive Care teams, along with working collaboratively with the Heart Center. Patients are fully evaluated, monitored and treated in order to target this disease process specifically, along with addressing the etiology and contributing factors.
Our hospital and research center relies on philanthropic funding to enhance its programs, services and research for children. To learn more, please contact the Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago Foundation at foundation@luriechildrens.org or call 312-227-7500.