ASTHMA MEDICATION IN CHILDREN

Course overview

ASTHMA TYPICALLY PRESENTS WITH A HISTORY OF RESPIRATORY SYMPTOMS SUCH AS WHEEZING, SHORTNESS OF BREATH, CHEST TIGHTNESS AND COUGH, AND IS CHARACTERIZED BY UNDERLYING CHRONIC AIRWAY INFLAMMATION. IN ADULTS AND OLDER CHILDREN, THE DIAGNOSES OF ASTHMA CAN BE CONFIRMED BY SPIROMETRIC EVALUATION, BUT IN PRESCHOOL CHILDREN, ASTHMA CAN BE A DIAGNOSTIC CHALLENGE. A CAREFUL HISTORY, EXAM, AND TRIGGER FACTORS, AND RESPONSE TO BRONCHODILATOR MEDICATIONS, AND FAMILY HISTORY CAN BE USEFUL IN ESTABLISHING ASTHMA DIAGNOSIS IN THIS AGE GROUP. ASTHMA SHOULD BE SUSPECTED IN CHILDREN WITH A HISTORY OF WHEEZING IF THE FOLLOWING SYMPTOMS ARE NOTED: WHEEZING OR COUGHING ON PHYSICAL EXERCISE/ACTIVITY, LAUGHING OR CRYING IN ABSENCE OF APPARENT RESPIRATORY; A HISTORY OF ALLERGIC DISEASE (ECZEMA OR ALLERGIC RHINITIS) OR ASTHMA IN FIRST-DEGREE RELATIVES; AND CLINICAL IMPROVEMENT DURING 2-3 MONTHS OF CONTROLLER TREATMENT AND WORSENING AFTER CESSATION. THIS ACTIVITY HIGHLIGHTS A STEPWISE APPROACH TO INTERPROFESSIONAL ASTHMA EVALUATION AND TREATMENT AND DISCUSSES THE MEDICATIONS USED FOR RESCUE AND CONTROL IN THIS AGE GROUP.