Infants and Young Children with Children's Interstitial Lung Disease

Though interstitial lung disease (ILD) can occur at any age in children, disorders more common in infancy and young children have received increased attention as an important group that is disproportionally affected, linked to lung development and lung injury, and represents disorders not seen in adult ILD. Identifying those children with potential children's ILD (chILD) and establishing a specific chILD diagnosis has evolved and is critical for pediatric pulmonologists, neonatologists, radiologists, and pathologists to recognize. Specific disorders more common in infancy include diffuse developmental disorders, growth abnormalities, pulmonary interstitial glycogenosis, neuroendocrine cell hyperplasia of infancy, and surfactant mutation dysfunction mutations. The presentation, evaluation, treatment, and clinical course are discussed for each of these specific disorders and other categories less common in infants and young children are briefly mentioned. Resources for physicians and families are also reviewed.