91´óÉñ

Aaron S. Chidekel, MD

Pulmonology

Primary Office

91´óÉñ Children's Hospital, Delaware 91´óÉñ Children's Hospital, Delaware 1600 Rockland Road Wilmington, DE 19803 Appointment: (800) 416-4441

Other Offices

Get to Know Me

Dr. Aaron C. Chidekel is division chief of pulmonology, co-medical director of the sleep program and director of the hospital's cystic fibrosis program. He's an associate professor of pediatrics at the Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University, author of medical journal articles and books, invited lecturer and active researcher.

Why I Treat Children

How can you not love kids and want to do all you can to help them? After all, they are our future. If you can positively impact the life of a child, you also impact a little bit of our future. I became a doctor because I wanted to help people. One of my mentors in medical school was an early pioneer in the treatment of cystic fibrosis (CF), and I picked up on his passion for helping those with the disease. Since his early work to today, kids with CF are living longer and better. That's very exciting and led to my wanting to help kids with CF, too — as well as those with asthma and other pulmonary conditions.

What I'm Passionate About

I'm passionate about working with the whole family. It's the best way for each child to have the best possible outcome, and helps the whole family feel ownership of and contribution to the child's health. I like to help the kids and their families deal with the challenges they are facing. This can be challenging for me as well, but it's ultimately very rewarding when I can make a positive difference for a child and family.I'm also passionate about teaching kids and their families about asthma, CF and other conditions and how they can take care of themselves and live as healthy a life as possible.Learning is very important to my own practice as a doctor as well. I find it crucial to stay up to date on the very latest regarding conditions and treatments.

How I Try to Make A Difference

I believe that caring and contributing my skills as a physician can help make a difference for a child and family. Also, a positive attitude can help people get through tough challenges and sometimes serious health concerns. I believe my patients pick up on this and gain confidence from it — although they're often incredibly positive already, no matter what life has thrown at them.

Education & Training

Fellowship

  • Pediatric Pulmonology - Yale University School of Medicine, 1996

Residency

  • Yale New Haven Hospital, 1993

Medical/Dental School

  • M.D. - Brown University, 1990

Board Certifications

  • American Board of Pediatrics/Sleep Medicine
  • American Board of Pediatrics/Pediatrics - General
  • American Board of Pediatrics/Pediatric Pulmonology

Awards & Recognition

  • 2015 Delaware Today Magazine, Top Doctors
  • 2014 Best Doctors in America
  • 2014 Delaware Today magazine, Top Doctors
  • 2013 Best Doctors in America
  • 2011 Best Doctors in America

Insurance Accepted

  • Aetna Better Health PA Kids HMO
  • Aetna HMO
  • Aetna PPO/EPO/POS
  • Aetna PPO/POS/EPO
  • Amerihealth Caritas Delaware
  • Amerihealth Caritas Delaware - Delaware & Chester CTY ONLY
  • Amerihealth Caritas Delaware - Deptford only
  • Carefirst MD Community Health Plan Mcaid
  • Cigna & Great West HMO/POS/EPO
  • Cigna & Great West PPO
  • Cigna Lifesource Transplant
  • Cigna/Great West HMO EPO POS
  • Cigna/Great West PPO
  • Delaware First Health
  • Delaware First Health - Deptford only
  • Delaware Medicaid/Diamond State
  • Delaware Medicaid/Diamond State - Delaware & Chester CTY Sites ONLY
  • Delaware Medicare
  • Devon Health Services
  • Fidelis Care NJ Medicaid HMO
  • First Health/Affordable PPO
  • Geisinger Health Plan Commercial
  • Global Medical Managment DE/PA
  • Global Medical Mangment NJ
  • Health Partners Medicaid/Kidz Partner HMO
  • Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield of Delaware
  • Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield of Delaware *PA Loc Contiguous to DE*
  • Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield of Delaware *PA Loc NONContiguous to DE*
  • Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield of Pennsylvania
  • Highmark Health Options Medicaid - Deptford only
  • Highmark Medicaid Health Options
  • Highmark Medicaid Health Options Delaware & Chester Counties ONLY
  • Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey
  • Independance Blue Cross/Amerihealth/Keystone Health Plan
  • Insurance Administrators of America
  • INTEGRA Administrative Group (ClaimsBridge)
  • Interlink Transplant
  • Keystone First Medicaid HMO
  • Lifetrac Transplant
  • Maryland Medicaid
  • Maryland Medicaid Chester County ONLY
  • Multiplan PPO
  • New Jersey Medicaid
  • Olympus Managed Healthcare PPO DE/PA
  • Olympus Managed Healthcare PPO NJ
  • Pennsylvania Medicaid
  • Plan Vista/NPPN PPO
  • Preferred Healthcare PPO
  • Priority Partners John Hopkins
  • Private Health Care Systems (PHCS)
  • Private Healthcare Systems (PHCS)
  • Qualcare HMO/POS/PPO
  • Star Healthcare Network
  • Star Healthcare Network
  • Three Rivers Provider Network
  • Tricare/Humana Military Health Services/CHAMPVA
  • United Healthcare of the Mid-Atlantic
  • UPMC Medicaid/CHIP
  • US Family Health Plan
  • Wellpoint Maryland Medcaid
  • Wellpoint Maryland Medicaid - Chester County Only

  • Apnea
  • Asthma
  • Cystic Fibrosis
  • Sleep Disorders

Research Activities

Recent book editorship:

Ìý

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Medical Interests

  • Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD)

  • Clinical efficacy of elexacaftor-tezacaftor-ivacaftor in an adolescent with homozygous G85E cystic fibrosis; Respiratory Medicine Case Reports; (2022).

  • Adolescent E-cigarette or Vaping Use-Associated Lung Injury in the Delaware Valley: A Review of Hospital-Based Presentation, Management, and Outcomes; Cureus; (2022).

  • 0524 Polysomnographic Characteristics of Adolescent Patients with Class III Obesity and Severe OSA (AHI ≥30); Sleep; (2022).

  • 0493 Daytime Sleepiness in Children with Asthma: Is it really the lungs?; Sleep; (2022).

  • Feeding Outcomes at Age 5 After Tracheostomy in Infancy; C51. TRACHEOSTOMIES AND BPD; (2022).

  • Clinical Efficacy of Elexacaftor-Tezacaftor and Ivacaftor (Trikafta®) in an Adolescent with Homozygous G85E Cystic Fibrosis; C52. CYSTIC FIBROSIS AND PCD - CASE REPORTS; (2022).

  • Acceptability and feasibility of a brief behavioral sleep intervention for youth with CF; Journal of Cystic Fibrosis; (2022).

  • 55 Using telemedicine in a cystic fibrosis newborn screening clinic; Journal of Cystic Fibrosis; (2022).

  • Adolescent EVALI in the Delaware Valley: A Report of 9 Cases; Section on Tobacco Control Program; (2021).

  • A Qualitative Exploration of Sleep Habits and Intervention Needs Among Youth with Cystic Fibrosis.; Journal of clinical psychology in medical settings; (2021).

  • A Comparative Review of Treatment Modalities Utilized for Obstructive Sleep Apnea in Young Children with Achondroplasia and Trisomy 21; TP73. TP073 PEDIATRIC SLEEP; (2021).

  • Feasibility and Acceptability of Home Spirometry in the Adolescent Cystic Fibrosis Population; TP74. TP074 CYSTIC FIBROSIS AND PRIMARY CILIARY DYSKINESIA; (2021).

  • Resolution of Cheyne-Stokes Respirations After Left Ventricular Device (LVAD) Placement in a Young Adult with Congenital Heart Disease; TP130. TP130 CURIOUS CASES IN SLEEP AND RESPIRATORY MEDICINE; (2021).

  • Characterization of Sleep Apnea in Young Children with Trisomy 21 and Achondroplasia; TP73. TP073 PEDIATRIC SLEEP; (2021).

  • 601 Comparison of Sleep Parameters in Children with Achondroplasia and Trisomy 21; Sleep; (2021).

  • 334: Addressing food insecurity and mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic; Journal of Cystic Fibrosis; (2021).

  • 318: Implementation of home spirometry in the adolescent cystic fibrosis population; Journal of Cystic Fibrosis; (2021).

  • Severe Pediatric OSA Masquerades as Neurologic Disorder Due to Extreme Sleepiness; B51. PEDIATRIC SLEEP II; (2020).

  • Examining Quality of Life, Anxiety, and Sleep in Children with Chronic Respiratory Disease; B51. PEDIATRIC SLEEP II; (2020).

  • Obstructive Sleep Apnea in Children with Cerebral Palsy; Cerebral Palsy; (2020).

  • Aspiration in the Child with Cerebral Palsy; Cerebral Palsy; (2020).

  • Abnormal pulmonary lymphatic flow in patients with paediatric pulmonary lymphatic disorders: Diagnosis and treatment; Paediatric Respiratory Reviews; (2020).

  • Newborn Screening for Cystic Fibrosis: Infant and Laboratory Factors Affecting Successful Sweat Test Completion. ; International journal of neonatal screening; (2020).

  • Effects of xenon gas on human airway epithelial cells during hyperoxia and hypothermia.; Journal of neonatal-perinatal medicine; (2020).

  • Newborn Screening for Cystic Fibrosis: Infant Factors Affecting Successful Sweat Test Completion; C49. PEDIATRIC CYSTIC FIBROSIS, PCD, AND COUGH; (2020).

  • Identification of a Novel CFTR Mutation in an Infant of Eastern European Descent; C49. PEDIATRIC CYSTIC FIBROSIS, PCD, AND COUGH; (2020).

  • Costello syndrome: Clinical phenotype, genotype, and management guidelines.; American journal of medical genetics. Part A; (2019).

  • The Effects of Pediatric Cystic Fibrosis on Mental Health and Sleep Quality; B53. SLEEP DISORDERED BREATHING AND LONG-TERM VENTILATION IN PEDIATRICS; (2019).

  • Status asthmaticus requiring extracorporeal membrane oxygenation associated with rhinovirus infection.; The Journal of asthma : official journal of the Association for the Care of Asthma; (2019).

  • 0763 Pediatric Narcolepsy: Review of Diagnostic Testing and Clinical Outcomes in a Pediatric Sleep Center; Sleep; (2019).

  • Obstructive Sleep Apnea in Children with Cerebral Palsy; Cerebral Palsy; (2019).

  • Rare loss of function variants in candidate genes and risk of colorectal cancer.; Human genetics; (2018).

  • Newborn Screening for Cystic Fibrosis in Delaware; Delaware Journal of Public Health; (2018).

  • Risk factor analysis for mortality among infants requiring tracheostomy; Pediatric Pulmonology; (2018).

  • Quantitative Analysis of Thoracoabdominal Asynchrony in Pediatric Polysomnography.; Journal of clinical sleep medicine : JCSM : official publication of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine; (2018).

  • Aspiration in Child with Cerebral Palsy; Cerebral Palsy; (2018).

  • Pseudomonas eradication and clinical effectivness of Ivacaftor in four Hispanic patients with S549N.; Pediatric pulmonology; (2017).

  • 1210 Excessive daytime sleepiness in a child with trisomy 21; it's not always apnea. AÌýcase of trisomy 21 with comorbid narcolepsy; Sleep; (2017).

  • Efficacy and safety of lumacaftor and ivacaftor in patients aged 6-11 years with cystic fibrosis homozygous for F508del-CFTR: a randomised, placebo-controlled phase 3 trial.; The Lancet. Respiratory medicine; (2017).

  • Management of Congenital Heart Disease Associated with Ellis-van Creveld Short-rib Thoracic Dysplasia.; The Journal of pediatrics; (2017).

  • Strengthening Tobacco-Related Messages Relayed in Pediatric Offices in Delaware: Results of a Pilot Intervention; Clinical Pediatrics; (2016).

  • Management of a Displaced Endobronchial Stent Using Simultaneous Endoscopy and Tracheobronchography; Annals of Otology, Rhinology & Laryngology; (2016).

  • Risk factors for lung function decline in a large cohort of young cystic fibrosis patients.; Pediatric pulmonology; (2015).

  • Evaluation of Sleep Quality in Morbidly Obese Adolescents Seeking Bariatric Surgery; Chest; (2013).

  • Standard care versus protocol based therapy for new onset Pseudomonas aeruginosa in cystic fibrosis.; Pediatric pulmonology; (2013).

  • Evaluation of Sleep-Disordered Breathing in Morbidly Obese Adolescents Seeking Bariatric Surgery; Chest; (2013).

  • Congenital Central Hypoventilation Syndrome Presenting As Bilateral Pneumonia; C72. SLEEP AND SLEEP DISORDERED BREATHING IN OTHER MEDICAL DISORDERS; (2012).

  • Long term effects of denufosol tetrasodium in patients with cystic fibrosis.; Journal of cystic fibrosis : official journal of the European Cystic Fibrosis Society; (2012).

  • The effects of gas humidification with high-flow nasal cannula on cultured human airway epithelial cells.; Pulmonary medicine; (2012).

  • Dosage effects of clara cell 10 kd (cc10) protein on the human airway epithelial cell line Calu-3 under normoxic and hyperoxic conditions; Research Journal of Pharmaceutical, Biological and Chemical Sciences; (2012).

  • Clara cell protein mediates secretion of proteins, IL-8 and IL-6 in human airway epithelial cell line Calu-3 exposed to hyperoxia; Journal of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Research; (2012).

  • Respiratory mechanics in an infant with perinatal lethal hypophosphatasia treated with human recombinant enzyme replacement therapy.; Pediatric pulmonology; (2012).

  • Risk factors for age at initial Pseudomonas acquisition in the cystic fibrosis epic observational cohort.; Journal of cystic fibrosis : official journal of the European Cystic Fibrosis Society; (2012).

  • Effects Of Xenon Gas On Human Airway Epithelial Cells During Hyperoxia And Hypothermia; C31. REGULATION OF LUNG INFLAMMATION; (2012).

  • Inhaled aztreonam lysine vs. inhaled tobramycin in cystic fibrosis: a comparative efficacy trial.; Journal of cystic fibrosis : official journal of the European Cystic Fibrosis Society; (2012).

  • Gastric Banding In Adolescent Obesity Is Associated With Improvement In Lung Function; D66. GENERAL PEDIATRIC PULMONARY; (2012).

  • Comparative efficacy and safety of 4 randomized regimens to treat early Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection in children with cystic fibrosis.; Archives of pediatrics & adolescent medicine; (2011).

  • Altered properties of human airway epithelial cell line calu-3 with reduced CFTR function; International Journal of Pharmacy and Technology; (2011).

  • Effect of budesonide in airway epithelial cell line Calu-3 with reduced CFTR function; Journal of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Research; (2011).

  • Initial Pseudomonas aeruginosa treatment failure is associated with exacerbations in cystic fibrosis.; Pediatric pulmonology; (2011).

  • Denufosol tetrasodium in patients with cystic fibrosis and normal to mildly impaired lung function.; American journal of respiratory and critical care medicine; (2010).

  • Acute Asthma Exacerbations; Journal of Asthma & Allergy Educators; (2010).

  • Skeletal dysplasias: Evaluation with impulse oscillometry and thoracoabdominal motion analysis; Pediatric Pulmonology; (2010).

  • Impact Of Short-Term Hyperoxia On Human Airway Epithelial Cell Tight Junction: Structure And Function; A36. INFLAMMATION AND THE AIRWAY EPITHELIUM; (2010).

  • Cultured human airway epithelial cells (calu-3): a model of human respiratory function, structure, and inflammatory responses. ; Critical care research and practice; (2010).

  • Baseline characteristics and factors associated with nutritional and pulmonary status at enrollment in the cystic fibrosis EPIC observational cohort.; Pediatric pulmonology; (2010).

  • Early anti-pseudomonal acquisition in young patients with cystic fibrosis: rationale and design of the EPIC clinical trial and observational study'.; Contemporary clinical trials; (2009).

  • Heat shock protein 70 secretion by neonatal tracheal tissue during mechanical ventilation: association with indices of tissue function and modeling.; Pediatric research; (2009).

  • Dysphagia among Infants with Tracheotomy: A Longterm Follow-Up Study.; D47. NEONATAL AND RARE LUNG DISEASES; (2009).

  • Effect of Budesonide on Cultured Human Airway Epithelial (Calu-3) Cells Exposed to Hyperoxia and Short-Term Mechanical Ventilation.; B32. MUCOSAL IMMUNITY AND AIRWAY EPITHELIA; (2009).

  • Knowledge and attitudes about smoking and environmental tobacco smoke: a comparison of parents and children attending upper and lower income pediatric sites.; Delaware medical journal; (2008).

  • Dissociation between the effects of oxygen and pressure on matrix metalloproteinase-2, -7, and -9 expression in human airway epithelial cells.; American journal of perinatology; (2008).

  • PULMONARY DYSFUNCTIONS AS MEASURED BY IMPULSE OSCILLOMETRY (IOS) AMONG PATIENTS WITH MORQUIO'S SYNDROME (MUCOPOLYSACCHARIDOSIS TYPE IVA); Chest; (2008).

  • KL4-Surfactant (Lucinactant) Protects Human Airway Epithelium from Hyperoxia; Pediatric Research; (2008).

  • Effects of oxygen concentration and exposure time on cultured human airway epithelial cells.; Pediatric critical care medicine : a journal of the Society of Critical Care Medicine and the World Federation of Pediatric Intensive and Critical Care Societies; (2008).

  • Knowledge and attitudes about smoking and environmental tobacco smoke: a comparison of parents and children attending upper and lower income pediatric sites.; Delaware medical journal; (2008).

  • Choking and Foreign Body Aspiration; Comprehensive Pediatric Hospital Medicine; (2007).

  • Apparent Life-Threatening Event, Infant Apnea, and Pediatric Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome; Comprehensive Pediatric Hospital Medicine; (2007).

  • Apparent Life-Threatening Event, Infant Apnea, and Pediatric Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome; Comprehensive Pediatric Hospital Medicine; (2007).

  • Choking and Foreign Body Aspiration; Comprehensive Pediatric Hospital Medicine; (2007).

  • Science, politics, and society: a brief history of environmental tobacco smoke.; Delaware medical journal; (2006).

  • Preventing and treating nicotine addiction: a review with emphasis on adolescent health.; Delaware medical journal; (2006).

  • Preventing and treating nicotine addiction: a review with emphasis on adolescent health.; Delaware medical journal; (2006).

  • Expression of matrix metalloproteinases 2, 7 and 9, and their tissue inhibitors 1 and 2, in developing rabbit tracheae; Biology of the Neonate; (2006).

  • Adult smoking and environmental tobacco smoke: a persistent health threat to children.; Delaware medical journal; (2006).

  • What physicians can do about the tobacco problem: best practice interventions for your practice and office.; Delaware medical journal; (2006).

  • Adult smoking and environmental tobacco smoke: a persistent health threat to children.; Delaware medical journal; (2006).

  • Science, politics, and society: a brief history of environmental tobacco smoke.; Delaware medical journal; (2006).

  • What physicians can do about the tobacco problem: best practice interventions for your practice and office.; Delaware medical journal; (2006).

  • Hyperoxia-induced changes in human airway epithelial cells: the protective effect of perflubron.; Pediatric critical care medicine : a journal of the Society of Critical Care Medicine and the World Federation of Pediatric Intensive and Critical Care Societies; (2005).

  • Pediatric choking.; Delaware medical journal; (2004).

  • Association of interleukin-8 with inflammatory and innate immune components in bronchoalveolar lavage of children with chronic respiratory diseases.; Clinica chimica acta; international journal of clinical chemistry; (2004).

  • Effect of Inhaled Corticosteroids on Markers of Pulmonary Inflammation and Lung Maturation in Preterm Infants with Evolving Chronic Lung Disease; Journal of the American Osteopathic Association; (2004).

  • Effect of inhaled corticosteroids on markers of pulmonary inflammation and lung maturation in preterm infants with evolving chronic lung disease.; The Journal of the American Osteopathic Association; (2004).

  • Regulation of apical surface fluid and protein secretion in human airway epithelial cell line Calu-3.; Biochemical and biophysical research communications; (2004).

  • Protein composition of apical surface fluid from the human airway cell line Calu-3: effect of ion transport mediators.; Clinica chimica acta; international journal of clinical chemistry; (2004).

  • Pediatric choking.; Delaware medical journal; (2004).

  • Knowledge and attitudes about smoking among children with lung and allergic disorders and their parents; Pediatric Asthma, Allergy and Immunology; (2004).

  • Exercise-induced Vocal Cord Dysfunction Presenting as Asthma in Pediatric Patients: Toxicity of Inappropriate Inhaled Corticosteroids and the Role of Exercise Laryngoscopy; Pediatric Asthma, Allergy and Immunology; (2003).

  • A snapshot of tobacco-related messages relayed in pediatric offices in Delaware.; Delaware medical journal; (2003).

  • Suction-Type Suffocation Incidents in Infants and Toddlers; Pediatrics; (2003).

  • Arnold-Chiari malformation type I and sleep-disordered breathing: an uncommon manifestation of an important pediatric problem.; Journal of pediatric health care : official publication of National Association of Pediatric Nurse Associates & Practitioners; (2003).

  • A snapshot of tobacco-related messages relayed in pediatric offices in Delaware.; Delaware medical journal; (2003).

  • Acute pulmonary hemorrhage in a Delaware infant after exposure to Stachybotrys atra.; Delaware medical journal; (2002).

  • Home delivery of palivizumab: outcomes and compliance in regional preterm infants.; Delaware medical journal; (2002).

  • Effects of an inadvertent dose of cytarabine in a child with Fanconi's anemia: reducing medication errors.; Paediatric drugs; (2002).

  • Home delivery of palivizumab: outcomes and compliance in regional preterm infants.; Delaware medical journal; (2002).

  • Acute pulmonary hemorrhage in a Delaware infant after exposure to Stachybotrys atra.; Delaware medical journal; (2002).

  • Antibacterial activity of apical surface fluid from the human airway cell line Calu-3: pharmacologic alteration by corticosteroids and beta(2)-agonists.; American journal of respiratory cell and molecular biology; (2001).

  • The respiratory health effects of passive smoking on children.; Delaware medical journal; (2000).

  • Nasopharyngeal colonization in children with cystic fibrosis: Antibiotic resistance and intrafamilial spread; Infectious Diseases in Clinical Practice; (2000).

  • The respiratory health effects of passive smoking on children.; Delaware medical journal; (2000).

  • Flexible Bronchoscopy in Pediatric Patients with Chronic Respiratory Insufficiency and Artificial Airways; Journal of Bronchology; (2000).

  • Postoperative bilevel positive airway pressure ventilation after tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy in children--a preliminary report.; International journal of pediatric otorhinolaryngology; (1999).

  • Cystic fibrosis and calcium oxalate nephrolithiasis; Yale Journal of Biology and Medicine; (1997).

  • Rhinovirus infection associated with serious lower respiratory illness in patients with bronchopulmonary dysplasia; The Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal; (1997).

  • Anoxia-Induced Neuronal Injury: Role of Na+Entry and Na+-Dependent Transport; Experimental Neurology; (1997).

  • Cystic fibrosis and calcium oxalate nephrolithiasis.; The Yale journal of biology and medicine; (1996).

  • Rhinovirus infection associated with severe lower respiratory tract illness and worsening lung disease in infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia.; Pediatric pulmonology; (1994).

  • English