Diagnosing and managing childhood asthma effectively with limited resources

Abstract

Childhood asthma must be diagnosed and managed correctly. It is the most common and potentially fatal chronic noncommunicable disease in children. The prevalence of asthma is increasing in both resource-limited and well-resourced settings. Up to 96% of asthma deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries where medical care must often be offered against a background of limited resources. Simple diagnostic steps, accessible treatment options and a good understanding of childhood asthma and asthma education will benefit all asthmatic patients, especially those who rely on resource-limited healthcare. This review is not an academic appraisal of data on the topic; it aims instead to extract practical solutions from asthma guideline documents to bring correct diagnoses and simple, yet effective management options to resource-limited settings.