Pulmonary function analysis by graphical display is becoming increasingly a
vailable to clinicians caring for newborn infants. Many of the currently av
ailable infant ventilators are able to provide this information in one form
or another. Interpretation of these graphics in a ventilated newborn infan
t who is also making spontaneous effort can be challenging. There is a rela
tive dearth of information that is directly applicable to the often bizarre
appearances seen in tiny premature infants breathing out of synchrony with
the ventilator. This is an area where there is a need for sharing of exper
ience and dissemination of information for better education for all involve
d in providing care for newborn infants. We present our observational exper
ience of analyses of pulmonary graphics displayed by infants on a tertiary
intensive care unit (ICU). We highlight what we believe are significant dif
ferences in the graphical displays between pediatric and adult patients and
newborn infants. We also present some clinical situations, commonly faced
in the neonatal ICU (NICU), where we have found the use of pulmonary graphi
cs particularly useful.