Asthma management in children

Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease of the respiratory tract. New Zealand has one of the highest reported cases of asthma globally, with the prevalence of asthma highest amongst children and young adults. It is dominant amongst Māori and Pacific children.

Māori and Pacific children:

• have a greater frequency of severe asthma than European children
• are more likely to be admitted to hospital
• are less likely to receive inhaled corticosteroids or an easily understood action plan
• have more days off school for asthma-related illness.

Following completion of this short course you will:

• know the red flags for acute asthma
• know how to determine asthma severity and manage asthma according to severity
• know how to manage life-threatening asthma
• know how to manage non-acute asthma
• understand the factors that contribute to inequalities in asthma health outcomes.

Note that this module covers assessment and management for children aged ≥2 years. The assessment and management of acute respiratory illness in children aged <2 years is outside the scope of the module.

Certification

Once you have completed this short course and quiz, please click 'submit' where you will be taken to the results page. From here you can print your certificate for 1 Continuing Professional Development (CPD) hour.

Acknowledgements

Content created by Dr Karen Falloon MBChB, FRNZCGP, PhD, Senior lecturer Goodfellow Unit in February 2017, and reviewed in 2020.

The material is presented by the Goodfellow Unit (GFU), an accredited continuing medical education/ continuing professional development (CME/CPD) provider for the Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners and functions under a tripartite agreement between the Goodfellow Foundation, the College and the University of Auckland. The Unit is located within the Department of General Practice and Primary Health Care, and within the School of Population Health.