Inpatient paediatric rehabilitation in chronic respiratory disorders.

Inpatient pulmonary rehabilitation programs have evolved from tuberculosis sanatoriums to modern medical centres providing standardized comprehensive care in a multidiciplinatory environment. Goals of rehabilitation programs for children and adolescents include restoration of professional activity, improvement of health condition, compliance and disease management as well as restoration of quality of life. Eligibility for an intervention is assessed by defined social and medical criteria. Comprehensive pulmonary rehabilitation programs provide a wide range of health care recourses, including diagnostic procedures, specific medical care, educational interventions and a multiprofessional team. Paediatric rehabilitation programs for chronic respiratory diseases, such as asthma or cystic fibrosis, have been shown to reduce symptoms, increase aerobic fitness and physical strength, improve pulmonary function and inflammation and enhance compliance, self-management, quality of life and psychological symptoms. Regional climatic effects have demonstrated an additional positive effect on the rehabilitation outcome. In addition, first evidence suggests an overall reduction of health care costs.