INTERSTITIALLUNGDISEASE IN INFANTS

Abstract

Interstitial lung disease is an heterogeneous group of illnesses. Some of them only affect children under two years old and new classifications have been proposed for this age group. Proper clinical awareness, X-ray studies like thorax high-resolution computed tomography, and lung biopsy are required for diagnosis. Clinically, there is tachip- nea, intercostal retractions, rales, interstitial images at X-ray, hypoxemia and restrictive lung disease. Steroids are the most used treatment; in severe cases lung transplantation might be the sole option. Some of them presents a good prognosis; for others it is often fatal when it appears in the neonatal period.