Asthma in Children Flashcards
What are the two key points to remember about asthma in children?
- No wheeze = no asthma.
- Tests may help decision-making.
How do you make decisions about asthma, in terms of QoL?
If QoL is affected, confirm the diagnosis with ICS.
If QoL is not affected, wait and see.
What are important features of asthma that make it difficult to define?
No tests.
Symptoms are identical to LRTI.
Has phases of relapse and remission.
What is asthma?
A chronic condition, characterised by a wheeze, cough, and SOB.
Has multiple triggers.
Variable and reversible.
Responds to asthma Rx.
Often starts in childhood.
What are some factors for asthma?
The host’s response to the environment.
Infection.
Abnormal physiology before symptoms.
What are some inconsistencies with asthma?
Different severities and age of onset.
Heterogeneity in response.
Different triggers.
What is the aetiology for asthma?
Genetics.
Interaction with the environment.
Epigenetics.
What can a primary epithelial abnormality result in?
Ezcema, asthma, etc. from an allergen.
Allergy can occur and fuels asthma.
What is the epidemiology of asthma?
Prevalence is decreasing, due to increasing recognition.
Westernisation is likely a cause of asthma.
The first three years of like have an influence on asthma prevalence.
What has proven the causation of asthma?
Feeding (breast, late weaning).
Allergens (antenatal and postnatal).
Smoking.
How do you diagnose asthma in children?
History is the most important.
An examination is often unhelpful.
Tests are used for excluding, not diagnosing.
What tests can be done to diagnose asthma?
Spirometry.
FeNO.
Skin prick test.
What is a wheeze?
A polyphonic musical noise, not in isolation.
The whistle of asthma - ribs in, stomach out.
What asthma variants exist in children?
A cough variant asthma does not exist in children.
Cough predominant asthma is not uncommon.
What is SOB (at rest)?
Significant respiratory difficulty from airway obstruction (<30% lung function).
