Respiratory illnesses can include a variety of problems, including colds, flu, runny noses, coughs, and sore throats. Some children may also have chronic illnesses that affect the breathing system, including asthma and cystic fibrosis (CF).

Nearly 30,000 people in the US are currently affected  by CF, and about 1,000 babies are born with the disease each year.

About 22 million people in the US have been diagnosed with asthma, with at least nine million of them children under the age of 18.

Most children will develop at least six to eight colds, or other respiratory illness a year. This number may even be higher in children who attend daycare.

Adolescents get colds, on average, two to four times a year. Ten to 15 percent of children with a respiratory infection may have pneumonia.

Visit the following pages for more information:

• Anatomy of the Respiratory System
• Lung Diseases and Disorders
  • Acute Bronchitis
  • Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases (COPD)
  • Cystic Fibrosis
  • Interstitial Lung Diseases / Pulmonary Fibrosis
  • Occupational Lung Diseases
  • Pneumonia
  • Primary Pulmonary Hypertension
  • Pulmonary Embolism
  • Pulmonary Sarcoidosis
  • Tuberculosis
• Upper Respiratory Infections
  • Common Cold
  • Influenza
  • Pharyngitis / Tonsillitis
  • Sinusitis
  • Tonsillitis
• Signs of Respiratory Distress
• Pulmonary Rehabilitation
• Lung Cancer
• Sleep Problems
• Spirometers
• Inhalers and Nebulizers
• Glossary

Lung Care at Rush

The Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, Illinois, provides inpatient and outpatient consultation, evaluation and state-of-the-art treatment for a wide range of acute and chronic lung diseases.

Diseases treated include acute respiratory failure, asthma, bronchitis, carbon monoxide poisoning, chronic cough, cystic fibrosis, dyspnea (shortness of breath), emphysema, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), lung cancer, pulmonary embolism, pulmonary rehabilitation, sleep disorders, pneumonia, tuberculosis and other pulmonary infections.

For more information about lung care services at Rush visit our Pulmonary and Critical Care home page.

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Looking for a Doctor?

Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, Illinois, is a leader in caring for people of all ages, from newborns through older adults.

Just phone (888) 352-RUSH or (888) 352-7874 for help finding the Rush doctor who’s right for you.