title: Changing trends in approach to wheezy children by family doctors.
abstract: The prevalence of asthma in children appears to have increased dramatically over the past 20 years. There is evidence that some of this increase is due to earlier recognition and relabeling of symptoms such as wheeze. In this study we set out to see if increased awareness of the presentation of asthma in young children has led to earlier diagnosis by family doctors and a decrease in the number of courses of antibiotics given before the introduction of bronchodilators. The family doctor records of 769 children aged 0-5 years were examined retrospectively by an independent paediatrician. One third had at least one documented episode of wheeze and the prevalence of asthma was 10.5%. The mean age of diagnosis was 2.59 years although the mean age at which bronchodilators were introduced was 2.22 years. 22 children, who were never recorded as being asthmatic, were nevertheless appropriately treated with bronchodilators.
authors.affiliation: Dept of Child Health, Queen's University of Belfast.
authors.forename: H J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Steen
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Stewart
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: McAuley
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Parker
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D001249:Asthma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007494:Ireland / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D010821:Physicians, Family; D015995:Prevalence; D012135:Respiratory Sounds / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012189:Retrospective Studies