Does a respiratory care technician assist in pediatrics?

Yes. Respiratory care technicians are a vital part of the medical team in the treatment of children with asthma, cystic fibrosis, pneumonia, and other acute or chronic lung diseases, as well as all children who are intubated. Care is typically provided when a child's condition worsens, requiring hospitalization, but care may also  be needed at home, in outpatient clinics and in chronic care facilities. These highly trained technicians carefully monitor the lungs of ill children and when needed, administer medications directly to the lungs by nebulizer machine treatments as well as manually clapping the chest to loosen mucous secretions which can then be suctioned out of the lungs. One of the most critical duties a respiratory therapist provides is called "pulmonary toiletry" in which the therapist insures that the lung's airways are open and as clean as possible which is vital in the function and healing of the lungs. When a child is intubated, the therapist must carefully monitor the tube inserted into the trachea (windpipe) to insure that muscous and secretions do not obstruct any section of tube so that the child can breath as well as possible and provide the best possible oxygenation to the body during inspiration, as well as removing carbon dioxide from the body during exhalation. A career as a pediatric respiratory care therapist is challenging, but is also highly rewarding since children often heal quickly with proper care, allowing them to leave the hospital or clinic and go back home breathing easily with smiles on their faces as they return to their everyday lives.

Absolutely. Respiratory technicians are an integral part of the in-patient pediatric team. Respiratory therapists and technicians help to set up and give breathing treatments for a variety of lung problems. One very important job they do is to set up and maintain breathing machines for children who are not able to breath on their own. In addition, they give chest physiotherapy to children with a variety of lung problems. Most importantly, respiratory therapists and technicians are an essential member of the pediatric team as they are frequently assessing patients and relaying their findings to both the nurses and physicians in the hospital.