What is the problem with asthma care for children?

摘要

Asthma is the most common chronic disease of childhood. Asthma has been a common cause of hospitalization, a major cause of emergency care requirements, and an occasional cause of death.1 Since 1991, extensively distributed guidelines for asthma have been published, revised, and updated at regular intervals. Nevertheless, national statistics have not demonstrated more than a slight trend for a decrease in the major components of asthma morbidity in children, emer- gency department visits, hospitalizations, and fatalities. Moreover, asthma has continued to be the most prevalent inpatient diagnosis at pediatric residency programs in the United States (Table).