The present invention relates to devices and methods for assisting breathing in a subject. In one embodiment, the device of the present invention is a splint that can be used to apply negative distending pressure, i.e., outward pull, to the chest wall of a subject. In such an embodiment, the splint comprises an air bladder that can be attached to the skin of the subject's chest. When the air bladder is inflated, negative distending pressure is applied to the subject's chest, thereby assisting or promoting respiration. In another embodiment, the splint comprises a piezoelectric material that when activated can provide negative distending pressure to the subject's chest. In a preferred embodiment, the subject is a neonate. In another embodiment, the inflated air bladder can apply a compressive force on the chest to facilitate expiration, and the removal of secretions in the airways.
