How are acute asthma episodes managed and documented in a rapidly developing country?

ABSTRACT

A retrospective audit of the documentation of 100 children admitted consecutively to hospital with acute asthma was carried out. The aim of the study was to determine the standards of documentation, the treatment regimens and management used and to compare these with the recent International Guidelines on the management of childhood asthma. We wished to assess the adherence to these guidelines. The results indicated [1] poor documentation, [2] little evidence of a departmental policy regarding a treatment regimen, [3] assessment, management, planning and the use of anti-inflammatory drugs were areas of particular concern. We conclude that there has been little impact from the recent worldwide attention paid to childhood asthma on the actions of those caring for children in this rapidly developing region