Shortness of breath in paediatric patients

Criteria to access public outpatient services

Information to include within a referral

Required

• Reason for referral
• Details of the presenting condition, including symptoms and their duration, and impact on activities of daily living and school attendance
• Provisional diagnosis
• Patient health summary (such as relevant medical history, relevant investigations, current medications and dosages, immunisations, allergies and/or adverse reactions), including specifically:
• Family history of respiratory and cardiac conditions
• History of impact of symptoms on activities of daily living
• History of oncological or haematological disease and treatment (if applicable)
• Maximum exertion attainable
• Patient's history of asthma medication use and response to treatment interventions
• Smoking and/or vaping history

If available

• Cardiac conditions as part of differential diagnosis
  Note: consider referral to cardiology for ECG (if appropriate)

• Chest X-ray report (including provider information)

• Previous lung function results (spirometry)

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Important information for referring health professionals

If there is a change to a patient’s condition while waiting for their appointment, referring health professionals may further investigate and manage the situation, or send an updated referral to the outpatient service. Where there are significant concerns about a patient's condition, referring health professionals may check HealthPathways for urgent/same day advice or contact the relevant clinical team.