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Asthma - Management
How should I manage children with an intermediate probability of asthma who cannot perform airway obstruction tests?
- The following options may be tried depending on the frequency and severity of symptoms:
- Watchful waiting — review the child after a time interval agreed with the parents or carers.
- Start a trial of asthma treatment for 2–3 months. The choice of treatment depends upon the severity and frequency of symptoms:
- If response is good, continue treatment.
- If response is poor, assess compliance and inhaler technique, and consider referral for additional tests to secondary care.
- If it is unclear whether a child has improved, careful observation during a trial of treatment withdrawal may clarify whether they have responded to asthma treatment.
In depth
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