[Severe asthma in children: identification and investigation]

Severe asthma in children is characterized by the persistence of symptoms or bronchial obstruction in spite of adequate treatment. Side effects of high dose inhaled or repeated courses of systemic corticosteroids must be considered. Therefore, an exact assessment is necessary. First, the observation of the child has to be secured and risk factors eliminated by interrogation and examination (smoking, ENT affection, allergy with persistence of high exposure, gastro-esophageal reflux). An initial thorax-X-ray is essential. After exclusion of differential diagnoses and confirmation of severe asthma, the child must be referred to a specialized department for a diagnostic work-up including a thoracic CT and bronchoscopy. Patient education including treatment can be realized in asthma schools and consultation intervals must be shortened.