ABSTRACT
Breathlessness is a universal experience during exercise and has relevance in the assessment and management of paediatric respiratory disease. Understanding breathlessness is underpinned by knowledge of the mechanics and neurological control of breathing. Respiratory disease may lead to breathlessness at lower levels of physical activity than in health. However, many factors influence an individual's perception of breathlessness and there is overlap between physiologically explained breathlessness and psychological comorbidity. There are both subjective and objective ways of assessing of breathlessness but discordance between these measures requires explanation. Practical guidelines for managing breathlessness may help maintain a young person's physical activity and health. Rather than relying on the extrapolation of adult research, more studies in children are required to progress our understanding and management of this important symptom.
