Breathlessness during Exercise Assessment and Treatment (BREAThe) Clinic
- Location:
- 170 Elizabeth St., Unit 4A, Atrium, 4th Floor
- Phone:
- 416-813-5826
- Email:
- askrespmed.clinic@sickkids.ca
- Fax:
- 416-813-5109
- Hours:
- Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. (except for holidays)
About the Clinic
The Breathlessness during Exercise Assessment and Treatment (BREAThe) Clinic is part of the Division of Respiratory Medicine at SickKids. We care for children and teens who have breathing problems during exercise that make it hard to be active or play sports. We see patients of all activity levels, from everyday play to competitive and elite sports.
Our team works together to find the cause of exercise-related breathing symptoms. We use detailed testing and create care plans that are tailored to each child. Our goal is to help children return safely to physical activity, sports and daily life.
- We assess and treat several conditions that can cause breathing problems with exercise, including:
- Exercise-induced laryngeal obstruction (EILO) (also called vocal cord dysfunction)
- Exercise-induced asthma
- Breathing pattern disorders
- Unexplained shortness of breath with exercise
Pre-appointment Instructions
You may receive questionnaires through MyChart before your clinic appointment. If you have not completed them before checking in, you may be asked to complete them when you arrive.
What to bring
Please bring the following to your visit so we can best understand your child's exercise-related breathing symptoms:
- All breathing/respiratory medications and delivery devices (e.g., inhalers and spacers or Aerochamber)
- A symptom or exercise log (if you have one)
- Videos of breathing symptoms during or right after exercise (strongly recommended)
Please also have your doctor and pharmacy information ready so we can share recommendations and send prescriptions if needed:
- Name of your primary care provider, pediatrician, and any other providers you want us to update
- Pharmacy name, phone number, and fax number
What to Expect During Your Visit
The BREAThe Clinic is a multidisciplinary clinic. Your child may see several members of our care team, such as:
- A nurse
- A pulmonary function technologist
- An exercise physiologist
- A speech language pathologist
- A physician.
Before your visit, we will let you know if testing is planned. Testing may include:
- Lung function (breathing) tests
- X-rays
- Exercise-based tests, such as cardiopulmonary exercise testing or exercise laryngoscopy for EILO
Our team may gather information from your care providers to help us better understand your symptoms and prior assessments.
Research
The BREAThe Clinic is committed to improving care for children with exercise-related breathing problems. You may be invited to take part in research or quality improvement projects. Taking part is always optional.
Coming to a clinic appointment
It's important to come prepared and be on time for a clinic appointment. Visit Coming for Clinic Appointments to read appointment guidelines that are applicable for most clinical appointments at SickKids.
You’ll find information on how to prepare and what to bring, what to do if you/your child are sick before your appointment or you need to cancel, and important things to know about the SickKids philosophy.
For health-care providers
As exercise-related breathing problems are common, our clinic provides assessment primarily for patients with complex, refractory, or diagnostically unclear presentations that are significantly limiting the child’s ability to exercise or participate in physical activity/sport.
BREAThe Clinic Referral Criteria