Conditions

Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a condition that occurs when there is a buildup of fluid inside of the tiny air sacs (alveoli) in your child’s lungs. The fluid keeps the lungs from filling with enough air, which means less oxygen reaches the bloodstream. This robs your organs of the oxygen they need to function. This is a serious and potentially life-threatening condition requiring immediate treatment.

Asthma is a long-term (chronic) disease of the lungs that causes a person’s airways to become inflamed. This inflammation can make breathing difficult because the inside lining of the airways swells and narrows the airways, the muscles around the airways tighten, and the airways produce more mucus.

COPD stands for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, a serious lung disease. Learn what COPD is, why it is concerning, how it is diagnosed, how it is treated, and more.

Cystic fibrosis [SIS-tic fye-BRO-sis] is a genetic disease that causes the mucus [MEW-kuhs] in the body, which is normally thin and slippery, to be thick and sticky. This can create problems with breathing and digestion.

Pneumonia [noo-MOH-nyuh] is an infection of the lungs. The infection causes the small air sacs in your lungs (called alveoli) to swell and fill up with fluid or pus

Pulmonary emphysema is when the small airways in the lungs become damaged, making it harder for you to push air out and breathe fresh air in. It is a type of COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder).