Paediatric respiratory
Breathing easier with Sunny by your side
Specialist care for children with complex breathing conditions
We are a specialist children’s respiratory team that looks after children with complex lung and breathing problems. This includes conditions like cystic fibrosis, bronchiectasis, and difficult asthma.
We also care for children who need help with their breathing using machines, including non-invasive and invasive ventilation.
Our team is also home to the Barts Charity Children’s Environmental Health Clinic – the first clinic in the UK that helps families understand how things like air quality and pollution may affect their child’s breathing.
Conditions we treat
We care for children with all kinds of lung and breathing conditions
- Cystic fibrosis
- Wheezing disorders including difficult to treat asthma
- Persistent cough
- Primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD) and other bronchiectasis
- Recurrent lung infection
- Lung disease from other conditions (e.g. sickle cell, cerebral palsy)
- Immunodeficiency
- Congenital lung abnormality
- Airway problems (in conjunction with paediatric ENT)
- Obstructive sleep apnoea and other sleep-disordered breathing problems (including sleep studies)
- Obesity hypoventilation syndrome
- Non-invasive ventilation and tracheostomy
- Aspiration lung disease
Tests, treatments and therapies
We offer a wide range of treatments to help children feel their best
Breathing tests and monitoring
- Spirometry
- Complex lung function testing
- Exercise testing
- Fitness to fly assessments
- Home oximetry
- Sleep studies
Specialist investigations
- Bronchoscopy
- Induced sputum sampling
- Nasal nitric oxide testing (for PCD)
- Sweat testing (for cystic fibrosis)
Therapy and support
- Inhaler technique training
- Asthma education
- Respiratory physiotherapy
Children's environmental health clinic
Helping families reduce the effects of air pollution on children’s health
The air we breathe can have a big impact on our health — especially for children, whose lungs are still growing, and for those with existing breathing problems like asthma.
At the Barts Charity Environmental Health Clinic, we help families understand how air pollution may be affecting their child’s health, and what can be done to reduce its impact.
Who we see
Children with existing breathing conditions
We support children who already have a diagnosis such as:
- Asthma
- Other breathing-related conditions
Our clinic combines your child’s medical information with data about the air quality in their home, on their journey to school, and at school itself.
This helps us better understand how pollution may be affecting your child’s symptoms — and gives us the information we need to offer advice that’s personalised and practical.
What we offer
Understanding exposure and finding solutions
- A full clinical review with a specialist team
- An assessment of your child’s exposure to air pollution
- Home environment visits, where needed
- Practical strategies to reduce your child’s exposure and manage their condition
- Access to research opportunities if you wish to take part
Where we’re based
The children’s environmental health clinic is located in the outpatients department at The Royal London Children’s Hospital.
Some of our work also takes place in patients' homes as part of our environmental assessments.
Research and academic links
Our team is actively involved in both national and international research studies, supported by our clinical research nursing team.
We also work closely with clinical academics based at the Blizard Institute.
Meet the environmental health clinical team
- Prof Jonathan Grigg, professor of paediatric respiratory and environmental medicine and paediatric respiratory consultant
- Dr Abigail Whitehouse, senior clinical lecturer in children's environmental health and honorary consultant in paediatric respiratory medicine
Education and training
Education and training
Building knowledge and skills in children’s respiratory care
Our respiratory team offers a range of courses for primary and secondary care professionals. These training sessions cover key areas of paediatric respiratory medicine and lung function testing.
Current courses
- Asthma Study Day
- NIV (Non-Invasive Ventilation) – Train the Trainer
- ARTP Spirometry
If you're interested in a course that isn’t listed here, please contact Faiza Khan to discuss future training opportunities.
Referral guidance
How to refer or get advice from the paediatric respiratory team
Referring a patient for outpatient review
Referrals are usually sent by email, often following a telephone conversation. All referrals will be allocated to the appropriate consultant upon receipt.
Email your referral to the team
Inter-hospital transfers
To arrange a transfer, please contact the paediatric respiratory registrar via the hospital switchboard.
For emergency transfers (e.g. life- or limb-threatening cases), please call urgently and request the paediatric respiratory registrar.
Seeking advice
For patients already known to the respiratory team:
- For emergency or urgent queries, use the switchboard to contact the paediatric respiratory registrar.
- For non-urgent queries, contact the child’s allocated CNS or send us an email.
For patients under a known consultant:
-
Please contact the consultant via the main switchboard or send an email
Referral guidance
- Cystic fibrosis (CF): Most CF patients are picked up through the newborn screening pathway. If CF is strongly suspected, patients will be seen urgently in the general respiratory clinic after telephone discussion. Please ask for the on-call paediatric registrar via switchboard.
- Asthma: Initial referrals should go to the local secondary care asthma service.
- General respiratory referrals:
- Must come from secondary care (we do not accept direct GP referrals)
- On-call advice is available via switchboard
- Send us an email
Paediatric respiratory consultants
-
Dr Surendran Thavagnanam
Consultant
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Improving hospital experiences for young people is their passion and they welcome new members.
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