Pediatric Interstitial Lung Disease Program

The Pediatric Interstitial Lung Disease Program, located in NewYork-Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital, provides expert care for children with childhood interstitial lung disease (chILD), a group of rare diseases that affect the structure of the lungs and cause difficulty breathing and other complications.

Our pulmonologists partner with scientists and experts across the country to improve our understanding of, and develop new treatments for, these under-researched diseases. We work closely with experts from other specialties to provide the most up-to-date care for our patients with chILD, including:

• Expert diagnosis from a team with experience in chILD
• The latest available treatments
• Genetic testing for patients and their family members
• Access to clinical trials

Because chILD includes many different diseases that affect individual children in different ways, we tailor every step of the diagnosis and treatment to the unique set of symptoms your child is experiencing. 

Conditions We Treat

ILD refers to a large group of rare diseases that affect the lungs. In children and adolescents, diseases include:

• Surfactant disorders
• Neuroendocrine cell hyperplasia of infancy
• Pulmonary interstitial glycogenosis
• Alveolar simplification disorders
• Alveolar hemorrhage syndromes
• Bronchiolitis obliterans
• Connective tissue disease associated ILD (dermatomyositis, mixed connective tissue disease, polymyositis, rheumatoid arthritis, scleroderma, Sjogren’s syndrome and inflammatory bowel disease)
• Cryptogenic organizing pneumonia
• Drug-induced ILD
• Eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis
• Eosinophilic pneumonia
• Granulomatosis with polyangiitis (Wegener’s granulomatosis)
• Hypersensitivity pneumonitis
• Langerhans cell histiocytosis
• Lymphangiectasia
• Unclassifiable ILD

Treatment at Columbia

We tailor treatments for each child based on his or her specific diagnosis:

• Babies born with genetic conditions such as surfactant protein deficiencies or pulmonary alveolar proteinosis usually need ​​positive pressure respiratory support, offered in an intensive care unit environment, to help them breathe adequately.
• Children with certain interstitial lung diseases will need medicines to block the inflammation in the lungs caused by abnormal surfactant build-up. These medications might include steroids (given by mouth or by injection), antibiotics such as azithromycin, or immune-modifying drugs such as hydroxychloroquine. Some of these treatment approaches are still under investigation.
• Children with conditions such as neuroendocrine hyperplasia of infancy (NEHI) may need supplemental oxygen and nutrition support. As their lungs mature and become stronger, they may no longer need oxygen treatment, or may only need it when sleeping or during illness.
• Children with alveolar simplification disorders may need breathing support or anti-inflammatory medications such as high-dose steroids.
• Children with severe respiratory disease symptoms may need a treatment called ECMO (extracorporeal membrane oxygenation). In some situations we may consider lung transplantation for children whose condition is severe.  

Why Columbia?

Our pediatric pulmonary experts are highly skilled in treating all forms lung disease in children. Our team works closely with other specialists here at NewYork-Presbyterian—named the #1 children's hospital in New York City by U.S. News & World Report.

Our intensive care team has extensive experience providing breathing support to children with respiratory failure during their hospital stay. And if your child comes home from the hospital requiring respiratory support or supplemental oxygen, the expert physicians in our Pulmonology Ambulatory Clinic will work closely with you to manage your child’s care.

NewYork-Presbyterian is one of a few centers in the tri-state area to offer extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), an artificial heart and lung system that supports critically-ill newborns, children, and adolescents. ECMO allows the lungs to rest and heal while our doctors treat the underlying cause of your child's illness. NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center has been designated a Platinum Center of Excellence by the Extracorporeal Life Support Organization (ELSO) since 2016, ELSO's highest honor.

Our doctors are active in ongoing research to develop novel therapies for ChILD, and to improve the effectiveness of current treatments. We have active research collaborations with the Children’s Interstitial and Diffuse Lung Disease Foundation.

Our Doctors

Columbia's pediatric pulmonologists have expertise in the diagnosis and treatment of chILD. 

View Our Doctors