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kidshealth library

health & safety topics

Your child's health and safety is our top priority. Please search our resource library for information on health, nutrition, fitness, injury prevention and other important topics.

Lungs & Respiratory System

Pulse Oximetry (Pulse Ox)

Pulse oximetry, a simple test that measures the amount of oxygen in the bloodstream, may give the first clue that there is a heart or lung problem.

Respiratory Distress Syndrome

Sometimes when babies are born premature, they have trouble breathing. This can be caused by respiratory distress syndrome (RDS). Learn what RDS is, and how babies can be helped.

Smoking and Asthma

Being a smoker is an obvious risk for kids and teens with asthma, but just being around people who smoke can cause problems too.

Transient Tachypnea of the Newborn (TTN)

For some newborns, the first few breaths of life may be faster and more labored than normal because of a lung condition called transient tachypnea of the newborn (TTN).

Vocal Cord Dysfunction (VCD)

Vocal cord dysfunction (VCD) means that the vocal cords partially close during breathing, so air has more trouble getting through.

What is Asthma? (Video)

Asthma is a condition that makes it hard to breath. Watch this video to find out what happens in the lungs when a person has asthma.

X-Ray Exam: Chest

A chest X-ray is a safe and painless test that uses a small amount of radiation to take a picture of a person's chest, including the heart, lungs, diaphragm, lymph nodes, upper spine, ribs, collarbone, and breastbone.