Children with chronic lung disease who use assistive therapies such as mechanical ventilation, airway clearance devices or an artificial airways receive care from Technology Dependence Center/Home Ventilation Program (TDC) in a variety of settings.

Whether your child is in the hospital, coming to the Technology Dependence Center for an outpatient office visit or at home, their care will be coordinated by our team of physician specialists, advanced practice nurses, nutritionists and social workers.

Care in the hospital (inpatient)

Your child may need to stay in the hospital from time to time for care of an acute illness or if they need further evaluation.

If your child has an artificial airway (also called a tracheostomy or trach), they are generally admitted to the Newborn and Infant Intensive Care Unit (N/IICU), Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) or the transitional care ventilator unit (Progressive Care Unit, PCU). Their unit will depend on the child's age and the severity of their condition. Children who use noninvasive ventilation and who are medically stable may be admitted to other units.

While in the hospital, your child will be followed by the Pulmonary Consultation Service, which includes a pediatric pulmonologist and a pulmonary fellow. This team works closely with the intensive care and PCU doctors and nurses. If your child or family needs them, other Technology Dependence Center staff, including the advanced practice nurses, nutritionists and social workers, are available to assist.

Care in the TDC outpatient clinic

Outpatient visits take place in the Technology Dependence Center on the seventh floor of the Buerger Center for Advanced Pediatric Care at CHOP's Philadelphia Campus. During your visits, you may meet with pediatric pulmonary physicians, advanced practice nurses, a respiratory therapist, a dietitian and social workers. This team specializes in the care of children requiring extra technology to breathe. 

We typically schedule outpatient appointments four times a year, but we will arrange follow-up visits more frequently if your child's condition requires it. During your child's visit, we will:

• Take a comprehensive medical history and physical examination
• Assess your child's growth
• Measure oxygenation and ventilation
• Obtain other measurements of lung function, when possible

Your child may also be referred to the Pulmonary Function Testing Laboratory to measure their lung function. Families may receive lessons in assisted airway clearance techniques or aerosol treatments. After each of your child's outpatient visits, we will send a report to your child's primary care physician.

Home care

While your child is cared for at home by you and/or nurses, our staff will be available to consult with you on the telephone.

If your child is undergoing weaning from mechanical ventilation, our nurses will call you weekly to evaluate your child's progress. This allows us to carefully monitor growth and respiratory status during the weaning process without requiring your child to come in for an office visit for each change.