Monitoring child asthma in primary care

Asthma is best monitored in primary care by routine clinical review on at least an annual basis.
The factors that should be monitored and recorded include:

• symptom score, eg Children’s Asthma Control Test, Asthma Control Questionnaire
• exacerbations, oral corticosteroid use and time off school/nursery due to asthma since last assessment
• inhaler technique
• adherence, which can be assessed by reviewing prescription refill frequency
• possession of and use of self management plan/personalised asthma action plan
• exposure to tobacco smoke
• growth (height and weight centile) (1).

Reference:

1. British Thoracic Society (BTS)/Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) 2019. British Guideline on the Management of Asthma. A national clinical guideline