Pulmonary Function Test for Children

What is a Pulmonary Function Test?

Pulmonary Function Tests (PFT’s) are pain-free, diagnostic tests that measure how well your child can move air in and out of his or her lungs. In asthma and many chronic lung diseases, the capacity of the lungs to fill up with air and the speed with which our airways can move air can be depreciated compared to healthy lungs. We work closely with pediatric lung specialist to evaluate and assess respiratory conditions that are recurrent and chronic.

What happens in a Pulmonary Function Test?

At Little Roots, we will coach your child prior to and throughout the tests. We will practice blowing with a toy, like a party horn, so that your child can practice and feel more at ease during the actual test.

For accurate PFTs, we need:

• Height
• Age
• Gender

To do the PFT’s, your child will be asked to take in a deep breath, as big as possible, and blow air out into a mouthpiece that is connected to a computer or device. This device measures how much and how fast the air is blown out. After several rounds of the same maneuver, the computer calculates an average among the best attempts.

Sometimes, your child may be asked to do a pre-bronchodilator PFT and a post-bronchodilator PFT to assess how his or her lungs respond to medications that dilate the airways. This provides vital information to your doctor on the effectiveness of medications and the responsiveness of the lung tissue to interventions.