Childhood Interstitial Lung Disease (chILD)

Australian children with lung disease deserve a brighter future. Interstitial and diffuse lung disease in infancy and childhood is a rare group of diseases that have a huge impact on children, their families, and the health care system. We know that families dealing with a rare disease, such as childhood interstitial lung disease (chILD) face very similar challenges including:

• Delays in diagnosis and treatment due to limited awareness of their condition
• Difficulty accessing information, the best service and treatment, either because of locality or because one does not exist
• Difficulty navigating the health system and accessing support, whether this is in the form of equipment, financial or peer support
• Difficulty finding a doctor to transition a child with a rare disease to appropriate adult services.

The Young Lungs Facebook Group aims to raise public awareness and increase support for parents of children affected by a rare lung disease. By creating a place for people to share their experiences, the group aims to inspire hope and expand awareness about rare lung diseases in children and the challenges these children and their families face. Visit facebook group