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    Aaron S. Chidekel, MD

    Pulmonology
    (800) 416-4441
    Researcher Profile

    Primary Office

    ²¨É«µ¥Ë« Hospital, Delaware ²¨É«µ¥Ë« 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

    Internship Residency

    • Yale New Haven Hospital, 1993

    Medical/Dental School

    • MD - Brown University, 1990

    Board Certifications

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

    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 DE - PENNSYLVANIA SPECIALISTS ONLY
    • Amerihealth Caritas Delaware
    • Amerihealth Caritas Delaware NJ
    • 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 Medicaid/Diamond State
    • 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 Medicaid Health Options
    • 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
    • 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
    • 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 MCAID/CHIP PA DE
    • UPMC Medicaid
    • US Family Health Plan
    • Wellpoint Maryland Medcaid

    • Apnea
    • Asthma
    • Cystic Fibrosis
    • Sleep Disorders

    Research Activities

    Recent book editorship:

    Ìý

    .

    Medical Interests

    • Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD)

    • Shenoy, A., Spyropoulos, D., Peeke, K., Smith, D., Cellucci, M., & Chidekel, A. (2021). Newborn screening for cystic fibrosis: Infant and laboratory factors affecting successful sweat test completion. International Journal of Neonatal Screening, 7(1). doi:10.3390/ijns7010001

    • Canter, K. S., Strang, A., Franklin, M., Wilks, S., Geiser, D., Okonak, K., & Chidekel, A. (2021). A Qualitative Exploration of Sleep Habits and Intervention Needs Among Youth with Cystic Fibrosis. Journal of Clinical Psychology in Medical Settings. doi:10.1007/s10880-021-09774-4

    • Zhu, Y., Mosko, J. J., Chidekel, A., Wolfson, M. R., & Shaffer, T. H. (2020). Effects of xenon gas on human airway epithelial cells during hyperoxia and hypothermia. Journal of Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine, 13(4), 469-476. doi:10.3233/NPM-190364

    • Greenawald, L., Strang, A., Froehlich, C., & Chidekel, A. (2020). Status asthmaticus requiring extracorporeal membrane oxygenation associated with rhinovirus infection. Journal of Asthma, 57(3), 343-346. doi:10.1080/02770903.2019.1565826

    • Itkin, M., Chidekel, A., Ryan, K. A., & Rabinowitz, D. (2020). Abnormal pulmonary lymphatic flow in patients with paediatric pulmonary lymphatic disorders: Diagnosis and treatment. Paediatric Respiratory Reviews, 36, 15-24. doi:10.1016/j.prrv.2020.07.001

    • Gripp, K. W., Morse, L. A., Axelrad, M., Chatfield, K. C., Chidekel, A., Dobyns, W., & Rauen, K. A. (2019). Costello syndrome: Clinical phenotype, genotype, and management guidelines. American Journal of Medical Genetics, Part A, 179(9), 1725-1744. doi:10.1002/ajmg.a.61270

    • Strang, A. R., Briddell, J. W., Barth, P. C., Shah, U. K., & Chidekel, A. (2018). Risk factor analysis for mortality among infants requiring tracheostomy. Pediatric Pulmonology, 53(8), 1115-1121. doi:10.1002/ppul.24064

    • Bronstein, J. Z., Xie, L., Shaffer, T. H., Chidekel, A., & Heinle, R. (2018). Quantitative Analysis of Thoracoabdominal Asynchrony in Pediatric Polysomnography. Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, 14(7), 1169-1176. doi:10.5664/jcsm.7218

    • Chowdhury, D., Williams, K. B., Chidekel, A., Pizarro, C., Preedy, C., Young, M., & Strauss, K. A. (2017). Management of Congenital Heart Disease Associated with Ellis-van Creveld Short-rib Thoracic Dysplasia. Journal of Pediatrics, 191, 145-151. doi:10.1016/j.jpeds.2017.08.073

    • Strang, A., Fischer, A. J., & Chidekel, A. (2017). Pseudomonas eradication and clinical effectivness of Ivacaftor in four Hispanic patients with S549N. Pediatric Pulmonology, 52(7), E37-E39. doi:10.1002/ppul.23665

    • English