Paediatric applied respiratory physiology – the essentials

General paediatricians will encounter myriad respiratory abnormalities during their careers. A basic knowledge of essential respiratory physiology, its subsequent derangements due to disease states and how to assess these abnormalities will help in the proper care of children. This paper will begin with an overview of normal respiratory physiology and how to monitor the efficiency of gas exchange. It will also discuss common methods of non-invasive monitoring including pulse oximetry, carbon dioxide monitoring, pulmonary function tests and respiratory impedance plethysmography. Finally, paediatric disease states will be used to illuminate the intersection between pathophysiology, clinical symptoms and monitoring capabilities.