Advances in medical management of asthma, headaches, and fatigue

The 1990s in medicine have been characterized by the development of various clinical guidelines to assist in the diagnosis, classification, and management of common disorders. Among the most frequent presenting complaints of adolescent patients are asthma, headaches, and fatique. In an era of managed care and brief clinical encounters, application of standardized guidelines, modified appropriately for adolescents, is likely to improve clinical outcomes, including patient and parent satisfaction. In each of these disorders, engaging the adolescent patient as a partner in planning and implementing management is crucial to success.