10 Best Children's Hospitals for Pulmonary Care 2013

Boston Children's Hospital

The hospital has led 48 pulmonary-related studies, including the development of a medicine to treat autoimmune pulmonary alveolar proteinosis, a rare lung condition.

Its Center for Healthy Infant Lung Development dramatically decreased hospital readmission rates of patients with bronchopulmonary dysplasia, the inflammation and scarring that frequently occurs in preemies whose lungs are underdeveloped.

Research in the state-of-the-art hospital's sleep program focuses on the treatment of sleep problems in infants and toddlers, as well as foster and adoptive children.

In 2012, Texas Children's Hospital performed more lung transplants in children than any other center in the country.

The hospital was the first to open a center dedicated specifically to the care of cystic fibrosis patients, leading studies in anti-inflammatory therapy and human gene therapy.

The hospital has led many asthma-related studies, including research on the role that pet allergies play.

Since implementing a High-Risk Asthma Clinic, asthma-related emergency-department visits have decreased by 20 percent and hospitalizations by 50 percent.

The hospital operates several community programs -- including one that places nurses in public schools -- to help children with asthma control their illness.

During cold-and-flu season, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC runs a "Breathe Easy" campaign to educate parents and patients about the signs of asthma and when to see a specialist to avoid a trip to the emergency department.

Researchers at Children's Hospital Colorado were instrumental in the development and testing of Kalydeco, a cystic fibrosis drug that addresses the underlying causes of the disease. The hospital is also working with biotechnology company SomaLogic, Inc., to personalize the treatment of lung diseases by measuring more than 1,000 proteins in sick children.

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