Challenges in diagnosing asthma in children

What you need to knowAsthma in children is a clinical diagnosis based on history and examination, and in many cases a response to a trial of inhaled corticosteroid treatmentAsthma can be diagnosed in children under 5, but is unlikely to explain recurrent respiratory symptoms in children under 2Tests can be done to help support (or exclude) a clinical diagnosis but should not be used solely to make (or exclude) a diagnosis of asthmaAsthma is characterised by recurrent episodes of cough and wheeze and difficulty in breathing. It affects more than 10% of children in the UK,1 but no universally agreed definition or diagnostic test exists for asthma in children or adults.2 Diagnosis in children mostly relies on a suggestive history and response to a trial of preventer treatment. Lack of objectivity in diagnosing asthma leads to both overdiagnosis and underdiagnosis.34 Clinicians and researchers have explored the role of objective tests,…
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