Preventing Infections in Children with Lung Disease

A Guide for Families Living with chILD

Children with lung disease get sicker from infections than most kids. The good news: there are many steps you can take to protect your child. This guide explains how.

Why Does This Matter for Children with Lung Disease?

Children with chILD (Children’s Interstitial and Diffuse Lung Disease) have lungs that are already working harder than normal. When a common illness like a cold or the flu hits, it can:

• Last longer than it would in a healthy child
• Cause more severe symptoms
• Trigger a flare-up of lung symptoms
• Lead to a hospital visit

Preventing infections is one of the most important things you can do to protect your child’s lungs and overall health. Many of the steps below are simple and easy to do every day.

Vaccines: One of the Best Protections

Vaccines teach your child’s immune system to fight serious infections before they cause severe illness. Staying up to date on vaccines is especially important for children with lung disease.

Important Vaccines for Children with Lung Disease

• Flu (influenza) vaccine — every year, before flu season
• COVID-19 vaccine — as recommended by your care team
• RSV protection — ask your doctor about nirsevimab or palivizumab, depending on your child’s age and risk
• Pneumococcal vaccine — protects against a type of bacteria that causes serious pneumonia
• All routine childhood vaccines (MMR, DTaP, Hib, and others)

Protecting the Whole Family

Germs spread easily within a household. Family members and regular caregivers should also:

• Get the flu vaccine every year
• Get COVID-19 vaccines and boosters
• Stay home if they feel sick

This creates a “circle of protection” around your child, reducing the chance that someone in the home brings an infection home.

Hand Washing: Simple but Powerful

Washing hands is one of the easiest ways to stop germs from spreading.

When to Wash Hands

• Before preparing or eating food
• Before touching your child or your child’s equipment
• After using the bathroom
• After coughing, sneezing, or blowing the nose
• After returning from a public place
• After touching shared surfaces (door handles, shopping carts)

How to Wash Hands Correctly

• Use soap and water — scrub for at least 20 seconds
• Use alcohol-based hand sanitizer (at least 60% alcohol) when soap is not available

Make hand washing a habit for everyone in your home. Children learn best when they see their parents and caregivers doing it too.

Avoiding Germs in Public

Masks

Wearing a mask can protect your child in situations where germs spread easily:

• In crowded indoor places (shopping malls, events)
• At hospitals or clinics, even for routine visits
• During cold and flu season, especially in enclosed spaces

Masking is a medical protection tool — it is not a sign of fear or overprotection.

When to Avoid or Limit Exposure

• Large crowds during peak illness seasons (fall and winter)
• Close contact with people who are coughing, sneezing, or feeling unwell
• Waiting rooms or playgrounds where sick children may be present

You know your child’s health best. It is okay to make decisions that protect them, even if others don’t understand.

Protecting Your Home

Your home should be a safe space for your child. You can take steps to reduce germ exposure while still having a normal family life.

Setting Healthy Limits with Visitors

It is okay to ask visitors to take some precautions. You are being a health advocate for your child, not being rude.

• Ask visitors to stay home if they feel sick, even if they “just have a cold”
• Ask everyone to wash their hands when they arrive
• Ask visitors to wear a mask if needed

Keeping Your Home Clean

• Wipe down shared surfaces often — doorknobs, light switches, remote controls, and phones
• Keep good airflow in your home — open windows when the weather allows and use air filters
• Use a high-quality air filter (HEPA filter) if recommended by your care team
• Avoid exposing your child to tobacco smoke, strong perfumes, or air fresheners that can irritate airways

School and Childcare Tips

Children with lung disease can and should go to school and daycare when they are healthy. Working with school staff ahead of time helps keep your child safe.

Talk to the School

• Share your child’s health plan and what to do if they get sick at school
• Ask about the school’s illness policy — when they send children home
• Discuss hand hygiene routines and whether your child can keep hand sanitizer at their desk
• Ask about masking options during outbreaks
• Request flexible attendance policies if your child needs time to recover

School Plans for Medical Needs

Some families use formal school plans to protect their child’s health and education:

• 504 Plan — a legal plan that outlines accommodations for students with health needs, such as flexible attendance or access to medications
• IEP (Individualized Education Program) — if your child’s health affects their learning, they may qualify for additional educational support
• Emergency Action Plan — a written plan that tells school staff what to do if your child has a breathing emergency

Ask your pulmonologist for a medical letter explaining your child’s condition and needs. Schools are required to accommodate children with medical conditions.

When to Call the Doctor

Call your care team right away if your child has:

• Fever
• Increased cough or more trouble breathing than usual
• A change in how much oxygen they need
• Trouble eating, feeding, or very low energy
• Blue or gray color around the lips or fingernails

Starting treatment early can prevent a small illness from becoming a serious one. When in doubt, call your care team. That is what they are there for.

Questions to Ask Your Medical Team

• Which vaccines does my child need, and when?
• Should family members get any special vaccines?
• What signs of infection should make me call right away?
• Does my child need RSV protection (nirsevimab or palivizumab)?
• Should my child wear a mask at school or in public?
• What medications should I have at home in case my child gets sick?
• Is there anything my child should avoid during cold and flu season?

Glossary

504 Plan — A legal plan from school that sets up health accommodations — things the school will do to keep a student safe and included. It is based on Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act.

Antibody — A protein made by your immune system to fight germs. Vaccines help your body make antibodies before you get sick.

chILD — Children’s Interstitial and Diffuse Lung Disease — a group of rare lung disorders in children that affect breathing.

Flare-up — A time when lung symptoms suddenly get worse. Infections are a common cause of flare-ups in children with lung disease.

HEPA filter — A type of air filter that can remove very tiny particles (including many germs and allergens) from indoor air.

IEP — Individualized Education Program — a school plan that provides special education services and support for children whose health affects their learning.

Immune system — The body’s defense system. It fights off germs like viruses and bacteria.

Influenza (flu) — A contagious virus that causes fever, body aches, cough, and serious breathing problems. Annual flu vaccines are especially important for children with lung disease.

Nirsevimab (Beyfortus) — A medicine given to babies and young children to protect against RSV. Ask your doctor if your child qualifies.

Palivizumab (Synagis) — A monthly injection that helps protect high-risk babies from RSV. Ask your doctor if your child needs it.

Pneumococcal vaccine — A vaccine that protects against Streptococcus pneumoniae — a bacteria that can cause serious pneumonia, meningitis, and bloodstream infections.

Pulmonologist — A doctor who specializes in lung diseases.

RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) — A common virus that causes cold-like symptoms in most children but can be very serious for babies and children with lung disease.

Vaccine — A medicine that teaches your immune system to fight a specific germ, protecting you before you are ever exposed to it.

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This information is for educational purposes only. It should not be used as a substitute for the medical advice of your child’s healthcare provider.