In this Complex Care Journal Club podcast episode, Drs. Reshma Amin and Christopher Baker discuss a clinical practice guideline from the American Thoracic Society on the care of infants and children with tracheostomies. They describe the role of interprofessional and family-centered decision-making, safety- and ethics-driven recommendations, and next steps for implementation across diverse healthcare settings.

SPEAKERS

Reshma Amin, MD, MSc

Staff Respirologist,

Director of Sleep Medicine and Long-term Ventilation

The Hospital for Sick Children

Senior Associate Scientist,

SickKids Research Institute

Professor,

The University of Toronto

Christopher D. Baker, MD

Director, Ventilation Care Program,

Children's Hospital Colorado

Professor of Pediatrics - Pulmonary Medicine

University of Colorado School of Medicine

HOST

Kilby Mann, MD

Associate ‌Professor

Pediatric Rehabilitation Medicine

Children's Hospital Colorado

DATE

Initial publication date: January 13, 2026.

JOURNAL CLUB ARTICLE

Amin R, Agarwal A, Chiang J, Collaco JM, Cristea AI, Propst EJ, Sobotka SA, Balakrishnan K, Benscoter D, Brenner MJ, Castro-Codesal ML, Cuevas Guaman M, Daines CL, Dawson JA, Edwards JD, Graham RJ, Henningfeld JK, Hoekstra NE, Jackson AJ, Johnson RF, Kam K, Kun SS, Napolitano N, Pacheco A, Panitch HB, Prager JD, Shi JY, Soma M, St-Laurent A, Syed F, Watters KF, Zielinski D, Ho ATN, Velagapudi RK, Zeba F, Knight SL, Iyer N, Baker CD. Care of Infants and Children with Tracheostomies: An Official American Thoracic Society Clinical Practice Guideline. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2025 Nov;211(11):2001-2020. doi: 10.1164/rccm.202508-2055ST. PMID: 41123183; PMCID: PMC12618984.

OTHER ARTICLES REFERENCED

Sherman JM, Davis S, Albamonte-Petrick S, Chatburn RL, Fitton C, Green C, Johnston J, Lyrene RK, Myer C 3rd, Othersen HB, Wood R, Zach M, Zander J, Zinman R. Care of the child with a chronic tracheostomy. This official statement of the American Thoracic Society was adopted by the ATS Board of Directors, July 1999. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2000 Jan;161(1):297-308. doi: 10.1164/ajrccm.161.1.ats1-00. PMID: 10619835. ‌

Sterni LM, Collaco JM, Baker CD, Carroll JL, Sharma GD, Brozek JL, Finder JD, Ackerman VL, Arens R, Boroughs DS, Carter J, Daigle KL, Dougherty J, Gozal D, Kevill K, Kravitz RM, Kriseman T, MacLusky I, Rivera-Spoljaric K, Tori AJ, Ferkol T, Halbower AC; ATS Pediatric Chronic Home Ventilation Workgroup. An Official American Thoracic Society Clinical Practice Guideline: Pediatric Chronic Home Invasive Ventilation. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2016 Apr 15;193(8):e16-35. doi: 10.1164/rccm.201602-0276ST. PMID: 27082538; PMCID: PMC5439679. ‌

TRANSCRIPT

https://cdn.bfldr.com/D6LGWP8S/as/wkhzg7pznk5cgb23sk9xg7w7/Amin_and_Baker_Final_transcript_1-9-26_kh_ra_Baker

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CITATION

Amin R, Baker CD, Mann K. Balancing Safety, Practicality, and Equity in Pediatric Tracheostomy Guidelines. 1/2026. OPENPediatrics. Online Podcast. https://soundcloud.com/openpediatrics/balancing-safety-practicality-and-equity-in-pediatric-tracheostomy-guidelines.