Abstract

Chronic lung disease (CLD) in children represents a heterogeneous group of many distinct clinicopathological entities. The prevalence of CLD has increased in the past decade because of the more advanced and intensive respiratory support provided for compromised children and additionally the overall improved survival of preterm babies. The disorders which constitute CLD generally have a slow tempo of progression over many months or even years. The most common causes of CLD in children are cystic fibrosis (CF), and other causes of bronchiectasis (such as immunodeficiency, and in the third world, post-infective bronchiectasis, for example, measles), bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) (or lung disease of prematurity), asthma, chronic gastro-oesophageal reflux/aspiration pneumonitis, and constrictive obliterative bronchiolitis.