Pediatria pre prax 4/2006

MODERN DIAGNOSIS AND THERAPY OF BRONCHIAL ASTHMA IN CHILDREN

Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the airways in which many cells and cellular elements play a role. The chronic inflammation causes an associated increase in airway hyperresponsiveness that leads to reccurent episodes of wheezing, breathlessness, chest tightness, and coughing, particulary at night or in the early morning. These episodes are usually associated with widespread but variable airflow obstruction that is often reversible either spontaneously or with treatment. Diagnosis of asthma in children can present a particularly difficult problem, largely because episodic wheezing and cough are among the most common symptoms encountered in childhood illnesses, particularly in children under three years. In developing a treatment plan, factors such as the severity of the individual patient´s asthma, the benefits, risks, and availability of each treatment and the characteristics of the health care system need to be considered.

Keywords: bronchial asthma, allergy, diagnosis, therapy.