With appropriate management, children with asthma should expect few symptoms, no limits on activity, rare exacerbations, and normal lung function. Appropriate education of parents and other caregivers of children with asthma has clearly been shown to help achieve these goals. Although recommended in asthma guidelines, providing written asthma action plans does not improve outcomes beyond asthma education alone.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Expert Panel Report 3. Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Management of Asthma Full Report 2007. National Asthma Education and Prevention Program 2007, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.
2.
Global Initiative for Asthma. Global strategy for asthma management and prevention. www.ginasthma.org2015
3.
PowellH, GibsonPG. Options for self-management education for adults with asthma. Cochrane Database Syst Rev, 2003:Cd004107.
AgrawalSK, SinghM, MathewJL, MalhiP. Efficacy of an individualized written home-management plan in the control of moderate persistent asthma: a randomized, controlled trial. Acta Paediatr, 2005; 94:1742–1746.
6.
Espinoza-PalmaT, ZamoranoA, ArancibiaF, BustosMF, SilvaMJ, CardenasC, et al.Effectiveness of asthma education with and without a self-management plan in hospitalized children. J Asthma, 2009; 46:906–910.
7.
SunshineJ, SongL, KriegerJ. Written action plan use in inner-city children: is it independently associated with improved asthma outcomes?. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol, 2011; 107:207–213.
8.
WongSS, NathanAM, de BruyneJ, ZakiR, Mohd TahirSZ. Does a written asthma action plan reduce unscheduled doctor visits in children?. Indian J Pediatr, 2013; 80:590–595.
9.
ShearesBJ, MellinsRB, DimangoE, SerebriskyD, ZhangY, ByeMR, et al.Do patients of subspecialist physicians benefit from written asthma action plans?. Am J Respir Crit Care Med, 2015; 191:1374–1383.
10.
BurrillR, CarrollW. Towards evidence based medicine for paediatricians. Do written asthma action plans reduce hospital admissions?. Arch Dis Child, 2009; 94:742–743.
11.
PolisenaJ, TamS, LodhaA, LaporteA, CoytePC, UngarWJ. An economic evaluation of asthma action plans for children with asthma. J Asthma, 2007; 44:501–508.
