ABSTRACT
Children with medically complex conditions have increased in number over the last decades. In their management, physical activity (PA) and exercise are not always prioritised. However, these young patients should have equal opportunity to participate in activity to enhance their quality of life and gain the associated health benefits. This chapter considers the importance of exercise in children with medical complexity as part of their routine multidisciplinary management and rehabilitation, highlighting the need to individualise the format of interventions. Detail is provided on how programmes of intervention must take account of illness manifestations, physical capabilities, cognitive understanding, psychological health, and social circumstances. A multidisciplinary approach is essential. The chapter emphasises how respiratory function is compromised in many of these children, some of whom become dependent on mechanical ventilatory support. An exemplar training programme for such children that has been established in the paediatric respiratory department in a hospital in Chile is described.
