Paediatric Respiratory Services

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The paediatric respiratory specialists at Midland Health offer holistic paediatric respiratory services, including testing, diagnosis and ongoing treatment of acute and chronic respiratory conditions in infants, children and young people.

At our private clinic in Edgbaston, you will have access to an experienced paediatric pulmonologist, as well as a state-of-the-art laboratory and medical equipment that allows us to perform a variety of specialised diagnostic tests such as lung function tests, as well as X-rays and CT Scans of the chest.

Whatever your child’s respiratory problems may be, our team will be there to work with you and your family to implement an efficient treatment plan that alleviates your child’s symptoms, improves their quality of life and minimises the need for hospital admissions. You can book an appointment with our Respiratory Paediatric Consultant, Dr Prasad Nagakumar within days and without the need for a referral.

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Our Specialties

Midland Health’s team offers a full range of paediatric respiratory care services and we have expertise in the diagnosis and treatment of the following respiratory conditions in children:

Asthma
Wheeze
Cough
Breathing pattern disorders (including post-COVID respiratory issues)
Sleep problems in children
Suppurative lung disease

Paediatric Respiratory Conditions Diagnostics

Breathing problems in children can have multiple causes, so to obtain the correct diagnosis for your child’s condition, our paediatric respiratory specialists may order a number of diagnostic tests, including:

X-ray of the chest
CT Scan of Chest
Bronchoscopy
Allergy and immunology testing
Lung function testing (spirometry and FeNO)
An overnight sleep study (oxycapnography and oximetry)

What is Paediatric Respiratory Medicine?

Paediatric respiratory medicine (paediatric pulmonology) covers the diagnostics and treatment of acute and chronic conditions in children, concerning both the upper respiratory tract (nose, larynx and pharynx) and the lower respiratory tract (bronchi, trachea and lungs).

At Midland Health, you will be treated by an expert medical team, led by an experienced consultant paediatric pulmonologist who specialises in the treatment of children's respiratory system conditions, including asthma, wheezing, pneumonia, chronic coughs and snoring.

The paediatric respiratory service at Midland Health is designed to answer the needs of children of all ages, including infants and young adults. As complex respiratory conditions may require a long-term treatment plan, we are here to support both you and your child through the entire process.

Pricing

New Paediatric Respiratory Consultation

£315

(30 min)

Paediatric Follow-Up Respiratory Consultation

£185

Common Respiratory Problems in Children

When your child coughs, as a parent, it’s only natural to worry, even though most coughs aren’t serious. The cough reflex is the body’s natural way of protecting itself and will stop without treatment, as soon as the airways are clear of mucus and other irritants (such as smoke or dust).

However, if your child is suffering from an acute short-term cough or a chronic cough (a cough that lasts for more than four weeks), it is best to book an appointment with a respiratory paediatrician to get an accurate diagnosis.

There are several conditions that can cause short-term acute cough in children, including:

Upper or lower respiratory tract infections
Whooping cough (pertussis)
Croup
Bronchiolitis
Allergies (such as hay fever)
Underlying respiratory conditions such as bronchitis or asthma
High-level exposure to irritants

Croup is a condition commonly found in children which is characterised by a barking cough and noisy, harsh breathing (also known as stridor). It is caused by swelling of the trachea (windpipe), the voice box (larynx) and the lungs (the bronchi).

Asthma is a chronic condition which causes swelling of the airways (the bronchi). When the airways are inflamed or sensitive, it becomes difficult for air to move in and out of our lungs, which makes it harder to breathe. Symptoms of an asthma attack include wheezing, breathlessness, coughing and chest tightness.

Chest infections are infections of the lungs and airways that are fairly common in children. They can cause wet cough, fever and breathlessness. Mild chest infections could eventually clear up without treatment, however, severe chest infections can be life-threatening. Therefore, it’s important to always seek advice from a doctor if your child has respiratory problems.

Pneumonia, for example, is a commonly known type of chest infection that appears in one or both lungs and causes an inflammation of the alveoli (air sacs). It is usually characterised by a mucus cough with pus or phlegm, fever and breathing difficulties. If untreated, pneumonia can be a life-threatening condition in infants and young children, so it is important to seek medical advice quickly.

According to the British Thoracic Society, wheezing is ‘a continuous high-pitched musical sound coming from the chest. As babies and young children have small airways, wheezing can be quite common at an early age.

Wheezing could be a temporary symptom of a cold or virus, or it could be symptomatic of a chronic condition, such as asthma.

Common causes of wheezing can include:

Allergies
Anaphylaxis
Bronchiectasis
Bronchitis
Bronchiolitis
Dysfunction of the vocal cords
Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GORD)
Inflammation of the airways
Inhalation of foreign object(s)
Obstructive sleep apnoea
Respiratory infections
Small or floppy airways
Tobacco smoke exposure

Not all children are distressed by wheezing. If your child is a ‘happy wheezer’, they may not require treatment. However, it is still important to be seen by a paediatric pulmonologist to be safe, especially if your little one also experiences sleeping problems, breathlessness or difficulties eating.

Habitual snoring is believed to affect between 10 and 12% of children and without any accompanying symptoms, it is often not a cause for concern. Snoring can also be a symptom of a temporary nose blockage, caused by a cold or seasonal allergies.

However, in some cases, snoring in children can be an indication of a more severe sleep problem and should be addressed by a specialist.

Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious illness caused by the mycobacterium tuberculosis bacteria. It most commonly affects the lungs and is spread via coughing, spitting or sneezing.

In the past, tuberculosis was considered incurable but thanks to modern medicine, it can now be prevented by the BCG vaccine (commonly offered to babies and children) and can be treated with antibiotics.

Tests We Use for Children's Breathing Problems

Your child's consultant talks with you first and suggests a test only when it can help find the cause of their symptoms. Your child may need some of the tests below, or none of them.

A chest X-ray takes a picture of your child's lungs, airways, heart and ribs to look for signs of a chest infection, fluid or changes in the lungs when a child has a cough that will not clear, a wheeze or has difficulty breathing. The imaging takes a few minutes and does not hurt.

It uses a small dose of radiation, so your child's consultant advises it only when the result can guide your child's care.

Chest x-rays are available for children 4 years and above at Francis Road, with our partners at Radiology Clinic.

A CT scan uses X-rays and a computer to build detailed images of the chest from several angles. Your child's consultant may suggest one when a chest X-ray does not give enough detail to diagnose the symptoms.

Your child must lie still during the scan, and your care team helps them feel at ease.

Bronchoscopy lets a specialist look inside your child's airways, using a thin, flexible tube that has a light and a camera at its tip. The tube passes through the nose or mouth into the windpipe and the airways of the lungs. They may also take small samples from inside the lungs during the test.

This test is performed under general anaesthetic, so they sleep through it, and takes place at Birmingham Children’s Hospital. Your consultant will explain each step, the risks and the other options with you before you decide.

Allergy tests can help rule out potential causes of your child's cough, wheeze or breathing trouble.

In a skin prick test, the clinician places a drop of each possible allergen on your child's arm, such as pollen, house dust mite or pet dander, and pricks the skin lightly. A raised red bump measured after about 15 minutes can point to an allergy.

Blood tests can also check for allergy antibodies.

Immunology tests look at how your child's immune system works, and your consultant may suggest them if your child has frequent or unusual infections.

Your child's consultant will recommend tests that suit their symptoms and age.

Allergy tests can help rule out potential causes of your child's cough, wheeze or breathing trouble.

In a skin prick test, the clinician places a drop of each possible allergen on your child's arm, such as pollen, house dust mite or pet dander, and pricks the skin lightly. A raised red bump measured after about 15 minutes can point to an allergy.

Blood tests can also check for allergy antibodies.

Immunology tests look at how your child's immune system works, and your consultant may suggest them if your child has frequent or unusual infections.

Your child's consultant will recommend tests that suit their symptoms and age.

Lung function tests show how well your child's lungs work.

Spirometry measures how much air your child can inhale and exhale, and how quickly your child can blow air out, helping diagnose conditions like asthma.

FeNO stands for fractional exhaled nitric oxide, and measures the amount of this gas in your child's breath.

For both tests, your child breathes into a mouthpiece. Neither test hurts, and each takes only a few minutes. Your child needs to follow instructions, so these tests suit children over the age of 6 years.

The consultant reads the results alongside your child's symptoms and examination.

An overnight cardiorespiratory sleep study is a painless test that monitors your child’s breathing, oxygen levels and heart rate while they sleep. Small sensors are placed on the skin and around the body to record these measurements throughout the night. The study helps us assess your child’s breathing during sleep and identify any problems, such as pauses in breathing or low oxygen levels.

A consultant may suggest this study when a child snores loudly, pauses in their breathing during sleep, wakes often or has a long-term lung or muscle condition that can affect night-time breathing. A specialist reviews the recording and explains it to you at a follow-up.

We know a night with sensors can worry a child, so we show you and your child how it works beforehand.

Our Experts

At Midland Health, your child’s respiratory care will be provided by our experienced Respiratory Paediatric Consultants, including Dr Prasad Nagakumar and Dr Atanu Mukherjee.

Dr Prasad Nagakumar, Respiratory Paediatric Consultant

Dr Prasad Nagakumar is a Consultant Paediatric Respiratory Specialist and the lead expert of the regional severe asthma service at Birmingham Children’s Hospital. He has extensive experience in treating children and young people with respiratory conditions, including asthma, wheezing, dysfunctional breathing, sleep problems, allergies and chronic cough.

He completed specialist paediatric respiratory training at the Royal Brompton Hospital, Bristol Children’s Hospital and The Children’s Hospital for Wales, and holds an MD(Res) from Imperial College London for his research into severe asthma. He is also an Associate Professor at the University of Birmingham and remains actively involved in paediatric respiratory research.

Dr Atanu Mukherjee, Consultant Paediatrician with Respiratory & Allergy Interest

Dr Atanu Mukherjee is a Consultant Paediatrician with a specialist interest in Respiratory Medicine and Allergy. He has been practising as an NHS Consultant Paediatrician since 2015, with extensive experience caring for children and young people with acute and long-term health conditions, including respiratory conditions, asthma and allergies.

Dr Mukherjee takes a patient- and family-centred approach, working closely with children and their families to provide evidence-based advice and develop treatment plans tailored to each child. He holds an MSc in Allergy with Merit from the University of Southampton and is a member of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, British Paediatric Respiratory Society, European Respiratory Society and European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.

Why Us

When it comes to the health of your child, there can be no compromise. At Midland Health, you can benefit from a patient-first approach that puts your family’s needs at the forefront of everything we do. Our team of experts delivers the highest quality paediatric respiratory services in a comfortable private medical setting where you and your child can feel at ease as we provide all necessary treatment. Here, you can be seen by a specialist within days without the need for a referral, so your child’s respiratory condition can be addressed as quickly as possible.

Choosing Midland Health as your child’s healthcare provider gives you access to:

Experienced paediatric respiratory specialist on-site
Appointments available on short notice
No referral needed
Excellent patient-first care
Cutting-edge medical facilities
Private clinic conveniently located in Edgbaston

Book Your Appointment

Finding Our Private Clinic in Birmingham

Midland Health's paediatric respiratory team welcomes you and your family to our private clinic on Francis Road in Edgbaston, just outside the heart of Birmingham.

If you'd like to travel by public transport, you'll find us within easy reach of:

By train: Five Ways station, around a 15-minute walk away
By bus: routes 35, 50, 80 and X8, which stop nearby on Francis Road

If you're coming by car, you can park free for up to two hours at the neighbouring Broadway Plaza car park, just validate your registration at reception.

Contact Us

Looking for reliable paediatric respiratory services in the West Midlands? Get in touch with the Midland Health team on 0121 769 0999 or email us at [email protected] to book an appointment with one of our experts in Edgbaston.

Kaltrina Krasniqi

5 days ago

they went out of their way and beyond. I would recommend to anyone who is considering this clinic!

Connor Taverner

2 months ago

Since this day my son has thrown on the weight and we are extremely happy. Thanks so much to everyone at Midland Health.

Akbar Aleem

2 months ago

She was very caring and attentive, and was able to quickly address our concerns and arrange everything we needed following just one appointment.

Raquel Puertas

4 months ago

They was understand my problem and able to solve and give advice and other types of tests. Dr took the time with my child and he was make sure my child was ok during the test

Pree Shah Jackson

5 months ago

It has been a game changer in improving the quality of life for our whole family.

Odirachukwu Ahanonu

7 months ago

He was calm and assuming all through and made my son feel comfortable.

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Medically Verified

This content has been medically reviewed and verified by Dr Rupa Parmar.

Medical note: This page provides general information and is not a substitute for urgent medical care. If you have severe symptoms, seek urgent help.

Last updated: Oct 2026