Primary care management of childhood asthma.

Asthma is the most common serious chronic disease of childhood and the eigthth leading cause of death in children 5-14 years of age in the United States. In Arkansas, asthma deaths among all ages average more than one per week, claiming 5-10 children in our state each year. However, childhood asthma continues to be under treated. Significant airway inflammation is present in early childhood. Asthma morbidity and mortality can be improved with early diagnosis, appropriate assessment of severity for which spirometry is required, the utilization of NIH preferred asthma controllers, and with scheduled follow-up visits to evaluate asthma control.