[Asthma in children: classification and treatment]
OBJECTIVES: To review concepts, classification based on severity, and long term treatment for children with asthma. METHODS: To identify precipitating factors of acute asthma attacks and classify the disease in order to establish long term treatment. RESULTS: Different plans of management according to its classification: mild, moderate and severe asthma. Antiinflammatory therapy is reserved to moderate and severe asthma. CONCLUSIONS: The identification and control of the etiologic and precipitating factors are important tasks in the management of asthma. The inhalatory route is the most appropriate to treat patients suffering from asthma. The usual drugs indicated in asthma treatment are reviewed. Precocious treatment with inhaled glucocorticosteroids is recommended by several authors.
Solé
D
D
Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
Nunes
I C
IC
Rizzo
M C
MC
Naspitz
C K
CK