TY - JOUR T1 - It's not all about inhaled treatment: challenges with oral therapy in paediatric respiratory medicine JF - Breathe JO - Breathe DO - 10.1183/20734735.0005-2021 VL - 17 IS - 1 SP - 210005 AU - Anneka Sareen AU - Manisha Ramphul AU - Jayesh Mahendra Bhatt Y1 - 2021/03/01 UR - http://breathe.ersjournals.com/content/17/1/210005.abstract N2 - Advances in therapies and management of conditions encountered by paediatric respiratory specialists have led to improved outcomes and improved survival rates dramatically in chronic diseases such as cystic fibrosis. However, this has also meant an increase in treatment burden. A variety of inhaled treatments are crucial in managing paediatric respiratory diseases, but these patients also have to take many oral medications. It is widely recognised that developing oral formulations appropriate for the paediatric population can affect how well a product is received by patients and their families. Consideration should be given to palatability and the number of medicines to be administered as these can all contribute to treatment adherence.Polypharmacy specifically in the context of management of patients with cystic fibrosis is not a new concept, but the recently introduced cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) modulator therapies and their potential for interactions and adverse reactions create novel challenges. There are some strategies that families and healthcare professionals can implement to reduce treatment burden. This review will also provide some insight into the life of a teenager with cystic fibrosis and the relative complexities of her treatment and the impacts on daily life.Educational aimsTo describe the difficulties faced by children with long-term respiratory conditions having to take oral medication.To discuss oral drug interactions that may exist within paediatric respiratory medicine and to consider issues with polypharmacy.To highlight strategies that may be used to reduce the burden of care for children on oral medication.In children, medications given by the oral route can be challenging to administer, add to the burden of care and contribute to poor adherence. Additionally, polypharmacy increases the chances of interactions between oral medications. https://bit.ly/3fxgXQU ER -