Neonatal and pediatric respiratory care: what does the future hold?

Neonatal and pediatric respiratory care continues to move forward at a truly impressive pace. Recent technologic advances and an increasing number of randomized clinical trials are leading to improved outcomes for neonates, infants, children, and adolescents with respiratory illness. The goals of this 47th Respiratory Care Journal Conference were to review pertinent recent advances in neonatal and pediatric respiratory care and, more importantly, to offer thoughts and perspectives for the future of our field. It is important to note that of the prior 46 Journal Conferences, only 2 have been dedicated to neonatal and/or pediatric respiratory care topics. It is our hope that the publication of these proceedings will provide respiratory therapists, physicians, and other members of the clinical care team a foundation on which to ponder the future of neonatal and pediatric respiratory care.