Treating asthma in children: the stepwise approach

Despite impovements in the understanding of the pathophysiology of asthma, there is still no cure and it remains the most common long-term medical condition. According to Asthma UK, 5.4 million people in the UK are currently receiving treatment for asthma: 1.1 million children one in 11) and 4.3 million adults (one in 12).¹

It is difficult to define asthma, as there is an absence of a 'gold standard' definition. The British Thoracic Society (BTS) and The Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) have produced a collaborative and comprehensive guideline on the management of asthma in the UK.² They clearly state that, in the absence of a clear definition, it is in turn difficult to diagnose the condition.