Phenotypic Expressions of Childhood Wheezing and Asthma: Implications for Therapy

Abstract

Asthma is a highly variable disease, in terms of presentation, disease progression over time, and response to therapy. As such, the diagnosis and treatment of asthma in young children and adolescents is often challenging. The differential diagnosis has been described elsewhere1 and is beyond the scope of this article. At any age, recurrent lower respiratory symptoms associated with cough, wheezing, evidence of lower airway obstruction, and response to bronchodilator support a diagnosis of asthma; however, there is no single historical feature that confirms the asthma diagnosis.