University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus

Welcome to Pediatric Pulmonary & Sleep Medicine

The Department of Pediatrics Section of Pulmonary & Sleep Medicine provides clinical services at Children's Hospital Colorado, National Jewish Health, and at outreach clinics in Colorado, Nebraska and Montana.

As a national referral center, we are dedicated to providing professional education at all levels and are committed to advancing knowledge through our comprehensive research programs.

Section faculty currently direct six multidisciplinary efforts at Children’s Hospital Colorado:

Aerodigestive Program, for diagnosing and treating complex airway, breathing, and digestive tract disorders.
Asthma Program, addressing concerns in both home and school settings, with a focus on technological and environmental innovations.
Cystic Fibrosis (CF), through the Mike McMorris Cystic Fibrosis Research and Care Center at Children’s Hospital Colorado, one of the premiere CF clinical care and research centers in the United States.
Children’s Interstitial Lung Disease (chILD) Program, a leading international referral center for children with these rare lung disorders.
Sleep Program, for the diagnosis and treatment of infants, children, and adolescents with sleep issues—problems experienced by 20% of the pediatric population.
Ventilator Care Program, a standardized approach to discharging patients on ventilators that has resulted in significantly lower lengths-of-stay and costs, and has improved survival outcomes.

The Section of Pediatric Pulmonary and Sleep Medicine provides comprehensive clinical care and consultation for children with lung disorders. Care is provided at Children’s Hospital Colorado, Denver Health and at outreach clinics in Colorado, Nebraska and Montana.

Visit the Children's Colorado website for more information on the programs below.

Asthma, Breathing & Lung Care at Children's Hospital Colorado
Aerodigestive Program at Children’s Hospital Colorado
Children's Interstitial and Diffuse Lung Disease (chILD) Program at Children's Hospital Colorado
Children's Hospital Colorado Sleep Center
Cystic Fibrosis Center at Children's Hospital Colorado
Pediatric Heart Lung Center at Children's Hospital Colorado
Pulmonary Diagnostic Center at Children's Hospital Colorado
Pulmonary Hypertension Clinic
Ventilator Care Program at Children’s Hospital Colorado

The Pediatric Pulmonary and Sleep Medicine section is dedicated to educating health professionals at all levels of training in pediatric pulmonology. We offer a three-year Fellowship in Pediatric Pulmonology , as well as month-long rotations for pediatric residents and medical students. A one-year Pediatric Sleep Medicine Fellowship is also available through a combined program at National Jewish Health and Children’s Hospital Colorado Sleep Center.

All faculty members are involved in fellow and resident education at the University of Colorado. Faculty provide numerous lectures and education conferences as well as bedside teaching. Most faculty are also involved in research concerning lung disease in children and often mentor fellows in their laboratories. Dr. Jeff Wagener is the Director of the Pediatric Pulmonary Fellowship and Dr. Steve Abman advises trainees and is the principal investigator for the NIH supported pediatric pulmonology training grant. Dr. Scott Sagel also advises several Cystic Fibrosis Foundation funded trainees. Research opportunities are available throughout the School of Medicine and at National Jewish Health involving a broad range of areas including lung development, pulmonary hypertension, cystic fibrosis, asthma, airway inflammation, pulmonary infection, and interstitial lung disease. We are very proud of our fellow’s successes, with most fellows pursuing careers in academic pediatrics following graduation.

Resident and medical student education is also considered an important priority for the Pulmonary Section. The inpatient pulmonary service is directed by a member of the Pediatric Pulmonary faculty, and includes three pediatric residents during their second year, along with a fellow, one or two medical students, and a nurse practitioner. This service cares for children with complex pulmonary issues, cystic fibrosis, chronic ventilator support, non-invasive ventilation, complicated pneumonia, and asthma. In addition, residents and medical students can attend outpatient pulmonary clinics every day of the week, depending on their interests and goals. Pediatric residents often take electives on the Pulmonary outpatient and consult services to expand their knowledge of Pediatric Pulmonology. Fourth-year medical students can take a fourth-year elective on the pediatric pulmonology service.

The Pulmonary and Sleep Medicine faculty participate in basic and clinical research, examining the causes and treatments of a wide range of pediatric pulmonary disorders.

As a national referral center, the Section of Pulmonary and Sleep Medicine is dedicated to providing professional education at all levels and is committed to advancing knowledge through our comprehensive research programs.

We currently have 88 IRB-approved trials, which include prospective clinical trials, prospective observational studies and prospective clinical databases on patient care.

Pediatric Airway Research Center