[Basic and attendance benefits to children--extent and medical causes]

Basic benefit and attendance benefit to children in Norway have increased substantially in recent years. In 1992 more than 2% of children 0-15 years of age received benefits totalling NOK 350 million. The main reason for the increase seems to be that more and more children are suffering from allergic diseases, like asthma and eczema. Cohort analyses give reason to believe that allergic diseases among children will continue to increase in the years to come. Ways of dealing with the problem have recently been proposed in a publication from the health authorities. In order to evaluate the effectiveness of programmes that are implemented, a monitoring system has been suggested based on a current analysis of the prevalence of children who receive basic and attendance benefits because of allergic diseases.