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Pulmonary Function Testing

Pulmonary function tests (PFTs) are performed to ensure your child’s lungs are working properly. This type of testing gives us information as to how well your child can breathe and how effective his or her lungs are in bringing oxygen to the rest of the body. When your child comes in to any of our three locations for PFT testing, you can expect a series of tests to be conducted. All of these tests measure the functionality of your child’s lungs, which can help our providers monitor specific conditions and/or symptoms.

When is PFT Necessary?

We may suggest pulmonary function testing if your child has a chronic pulmonary disease, like cystic fibrosis or bronchopulmonary dysplasia. In most cases, these tests are performed on older children, however, it can be done on infants. When we need to test an infant’s breathing abilities, special equipment is required because they cannot breathe on their own. Please keep in mind that there is more preparation for infant PFTs than for older children.

Children that take medicine to help them breathe may also benefit from pulmonary function testing, as these tests can help us determine whether or not the medicine is working, and how well.