The pharmacologic management of childhood asthma

Asthma treatment is based on the appropriate recognition and classification of children warranting treatment. Adequate therapy requires that children and parents have a good understanding of the disease and expectations for high-quality control. Assessment necessitates a thorough history of symptoms, impairments of physical activity, past history of exacerbations, and understanding of triggering events. Therapy then must be appropriately implemented to reverse the symptoms and prevent future exacerbations. The approach in pediatrics is to be conservative, to use the safe and proven therapy, and to prevent the potential morbidity of the disease. This article presents the current evidence-based recommendations for assessing and treating asthma in children.