ABSTRACT
One hundred Thai asthmatic children aged below 15 years were under prospectice study. Fifty-seven percent of the patients were from Songkhla province and fourty three percent from nearby provinces in the south of Thailand. Males were more affected than females, male and female ratio being 3 : 2. Fifty-six percent of patients developed first attacks within the first 2 years of life. Attacks during night time were common and seasonal attacks usually occurred during the rainy season. Respiratory infections were the most common precipitants of attacks. Other precipitating factors were weather change, exertion, inhalants, emotion and irritants. Sixty-one percent of patients had associated allergic diseases and 81 percent had family history of allergic diseases. Sixteen percent of the patients were growth retarded. Absolute oeosinophil of less than 500 cells/mm3 was found in 36 percent of patients. Chest roentgenography at the first visit was found to be abnormal in 42 percent of patients. Ninety-three percent of the cases had positive skin tests. The important antigens were house dust and mite. Our findings are similar to previous studied with minor variations.