Correct Diagnosis and Evaluation of Pediatric Asthma -Learning from the Taboos-

Abstract

For the correct diagnosis and evaluation of pediatric asthma, it is essential to accurately assess the severity and frequency of asthma exacerbations. However, there the overdiagnosis or underdiagnosis of this condition may occur due to a gap in recognizing "wheezing" between physicians and guardians and uncertainty in guardians' memory of wheezing episodes. For a proper diagnosis, it is essential to communicate asthma symptoms to the guardians in an easy-to-understand manner and to conduct careful medical history taking. It is also necessary to carefully check for symptoms that raise the suspicion of asthma and for symptoms that raise the suspicion of conditions other than asthma. Since the exhaled NO test, which evaluate airway inflammation, can be easily performed in an outpatient setting, it should be utilized for the correct diagnosis and evaluation of pediatric asthma.

In pediatric asthma, the evaluation of the transition to medical care in adulthood is still considered insufficient. As the number of exacerbations often decreases during adolescence, there are cases where continuous medical treatment is not provided. With an eye on the prognosis in adulthood, it is essential to evaluate not only asthma control levels but also the patient's readiness for transition and psychological status.