“Spirometry is a useful, accessible and good performance tool, essential for the diagnosis and monitoring of many respiratory diseases, including asthma, which has a high prevalence and incidence, affecting 10% of the child population. In addition, it will be key to adjust the medication appropriately, in order to satisfactorily control the respiratory disease”, emphasizes Dr. Fátima Ortega, a pulmonologist at our clinic.

What is spirometry?

Spirometry is a simple and painless lung function test. It allows us to objectively determine (in figures) the lung capacity of a person (amount of air that the lungs can retain) and if there is any limitation of it, either due to involvement of the airway (bronchi), the lung or causes outside the thorax.

When is it done in children?

Any child over 6 years of age who has a persistent cough, shortness of breath (dyspnea) without a defined cause, or wheezing (whistling in the chest), should undergo spirometry to clarify and establish the diagnosis. It is also indicated in the monitoring of many respiratory diseases such as asthma, cystic fibrosis, bronchiectasis, among others.

How is spirometry performed in children?

• The child must blow air as hard as possible, through a special mouthpiece that is connected to a piece of equipment called a spirometer that is responsible for measuring the volume of air.
• The child is asked to place the mouthpiece in his/her mouth, closing his/her lips around it. Then he/she should take a deep breath and blow as hard as he/she can expel all the air from the lungs with maximum effort, speed and as long as possible. For example, the image of a cake is placed where the child must blow out the candles; This encourages him/her to blow hard.
• This effort is made a couple of times and is done before and after the placement of the bronchodilator.

What steps should be followed before performing spirometry?

• Do not use bronchodilator medications
• Avoid copious meals. In the case of adolescents, avoid ingesting caffeine or alcohol
• Avoid exercising
• Wear loose clothing

Once the spirometry has been performed, the patient will be able to carry out their usual activities without restriction.

Dr. Fátima Ortega
Pulmonologist at Clínica Ricardo Palma