Mobile health (mHealth) applications are scarce for children and adolescents with chronic pulmonary diseases (CPDs). This study aimed to map and describe the contents of the mHealth apps available for use in children and adolescents with CPDs. We performed a systematic mapping review of published scientific literature in PubMed, Scopus, and Cochrane Library by February of 2023, using relevant keywords. Inclusion criteria were as follows: children aged < 18 years with CPDs; and studies published in English on mHealth apps. A total number of 353 studies were found, 9 of which met the inclusion criteria. These studies described seven mHealth apps for Android and iOS, designed either for asthma (n = 5) or for cystic fibrosis (n = 2). Five content areas were identified: education/information; pharmacological treatment; emergency; support; and non-pharmacological treatment. The studies (4, 2, and 3, respectively) showed consistent findings using qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methodologies. This mapping review provided a guided selection of the most appropriate mHealth apps for use in children and adolescents with CPDs based on the needs of each target population. However, these mHealth apps have limited capabilities to reinforce disease self-management and provide information related to treatment compliance.

Chronic respiratory diseases (CRDs) are common among children and adolescents. Asthma and cystic fibrosis are two main conditions that affect this population. Young patients face physical limitations due to structural and functional abnormalities of the airways and other lung structures. Moreover, the route of everyday life is influenced by responsibilities derived from treatments, and exacerbations imposed by the disease impacting silently their social life. To date, discussions in the literature have mostly focused on the physical limitations that face children and adolescents. On the contrary, social aspects are less investigated, even their important role in rehabilitation patterns. On this basis, we provide an overview of the social determinants that affect children and adolescents with CRDs in different social environments, such as family and school; discuss coping strategies that can be developed to attenuate the impact of CRDs on youngsters’ lives; and present the role of healthcare professionals and digital technology in social support.

Objective: To synthesize the available evidence on field tests used to assess functional capacity in children with CLDs other than asthma, such as cystic fibrosis (CF), and non-CF bronchiectasis (NCFB). Still, the application and reliability of the field tests in non-asthmatic pediatric CLDs populations is scarce. Methods: Three databases (PubMed, Medline via EBSCOhost, and Web of Science) were searched from inception to 20 May 2025. Two researchers independently screened the retrieved articles and rated the methodological quality using the NIH Quality Assessment Tool for Observational Cohort and Cross-Sectional Studies. Information was extracted about study design, field test used, outcomes measured, and methodological quality. Results: Out of 784 records, 8 studies met the inclusion criteria. Most studies focused on CF. Five different field tests were identified: six-minute walk test (6MWT), modified shuttle walk test (mSWT), one-minute sit-to-stand test (1mSTS), three-minute step test (3mST), and TGlittre-P test. The 6MWT (n = 3) and mSWT (n = 2) were the most frequently used and demonstrated good reliability and clinical applicability. Reported outcomes included distance walked, total steps, task’ repetitions, and cardiopulmonary parameters, such as heart rate and perceived exertion of dyspnea/leg fatigue. Conclusions: Field exercise tests appear to be feasible in children with CLDs other than asthma, with most data available in CF. They can be used to monitor functional capacity over time, to assess the effectiveness of rehabilitation programs, and to complement symptom assessment with tools such as the Borg scale. Evidence in NCFB and PCD is still limited, and additional pediatric studies are needed.

Background: The pediatric population with chronic suppurative lung diseases (CSLDs) presents with a clinical profile of persistent productive cough and impaired airway clearance, which leads to reduced exercise capacity and physical activity (PA). The main objective of this research is to evaluate the effect of a 12-week intervention that combines airway clearance techniques (ACTs) and exercise training delivered through synchronous (videoconferencing) and asynchronous implementation at home, supported by an informative, specially designed website and supervised by a physiotherapist on exercise capacity. The secondary objective is to assess adherence to the ACT performance. The hypothesis of the study is that this hybrid tele-rehabilitation program will improve functional and exercise capacity, as well as compliance with ACTs, compared to the usual care. Methods: Thirty-two children with CSLDs (other than cystic fibrosis) will be randomly assigned to either the intervention group (home-based, synchronous, and asynchronous ACTs and exercise training) or the control group (usual care). An assessor blind to group allocation will measure the modified shuttle walk test, 6-minute walking test, Chester step test, respiratory muscle strength, handgrip, pulmonary function, PA, sedentary behavior, and quality of life at baseline, at the end of the intervention (3 months), and 6 months after completion. Discussion: This study introduces a hybrid (synchronous and asynchronous) tele-rehabilitation program, aiming to improve physical capacity and adherence to physiotherapy management for pediatric CSLD populations.

Aim: To determine the level of agreement between remote and in-person assessment for the Timed Up and Go test (TUG), the Lateral Step-Up test (LSU), the Five-Times-Sit-To-Stand test (FTSTS), and the Pediatric Balance Scale (PBS) in children with cerebral palsy (CP). Methods: Fifteen children diagnosed with unilateral and bilateral spastic CP and Gross Motor Function Classification System levels I–II underwent these four tests in two distinct environments. These assessments were conducted 24 to 48 hours apart, first in person at the physiotherapy clinic and then remotely at home via the VSee platform. Before the remote assessment, all parents attended a preliminary training session that covered technical proficiency with VSee, the proper setup of home equipment, and essential safety protocols. Results: Children had a median age of 7 (IQR = 6–10) years old. All children successfully finished all four tests in both the home and clinic settings without any reported safety issues. The agreement was good for the time of repetitions in the FTSTS: ICC = 0.884 (95% CI: 0.654 to 0.961; MD = –1.26 seconds, 95% CI: –2.81 to 0.28, p = 0.102), and excellent for the total time of the TUG: ICC = 0.998 (95% CI: 0.990 to 0.999; MD = –0.42 seconds, 95% CI: –0.76 to –0.08, p = 0.017), the total score in the PBS: ICC = 0.998 (95% CI: 0.992 to 0.999; MD = 0.26 units, 95% CI: 0.01 to 0.52, p = 0.041), and the total number of steps in the LSU: ICC = 0.988 (95% CI: 0.965 to 0.996; MD = 0.53 steps, 95% CI: –0.68 to 1.75, p = 0.364). Conclusions: Remote evaluation of the FTSTS, TUG, LSU, and PBS demonstrates good-to-excellent agreement with in-person assessment. However, wide limits of agreement indicated individual variability.

Objective: To synthesize the available evidence on field tests used to assess functional capacity in children with CLDs other than asthma, such as cystic fibrosis (CF), and non-CF bron-chiectasis (NCFB). Still, the application and reliability of the field tests in non-asthmatic pediatric CLDs populations is scarce. Methods: Three databases (PubMed, Medline via EBSCOhost, and Web of Science) were searched from inception to May 20, 2025. Two researchers independently screened the retrieved articles and rated the methodological quality using the NIH Quality Assessment Tool for Observational Cohort and Cross-Sectional Studies. Information was extracted about study design, field test used, outcomes measured, and methodological quality. Results: Out of 784 records, 8 studies met the inclusion criteria. Most studies focused on CF. Five different field tests were identified: six-minute walk test (6MWT), modified shuttle walk test (mSWT), one-minute sit-to-stand test (1mSTS), three-minute step test (3mST), and TGlittre-P test. The 6MWT and mSWT were the most frequently used and demonstrated good reliability and clinical applicability. Reported outcomes included distance walked, total steps, task’ repetitions, and cardiopulmonary parameters, such as heart rate and perceived exertion of dysp-nea/leg fatigue. Conclusion: The 6MWT and mSWT seem to be the most used among others for assessing functional and exercise capacity, mainly for populations with CF. Future research should focus on other CLDs populations to further establish the feasibility and reliability of these tests when used for assessing functional capacity in the clinical setting.