Joining us from Denver to talk more about asthma is Doctor Dan Atkins of the National Jewish Medical Center. The parents of asthmatic children need to recognize the triggers that cause their child's asthma. They need to understand the early warning signs that signal that their child is beginning to have an asthma episode. They need to understand which medications to use and at what time and how these medications work and how to administer it. In addition, there are reliever medications that are used to treat the child in the middle of an acute episode of asthma that relax the smooth muscles that surround the airway.
Steroids sound a little bit scary.
These steroids are not anabolic steroids that are used by weight-lifters. These are anti-inflammatory medications when used appropriately at recommended doses can make a tremendous difference in their child's asthma by controlling the inflammation in the airways. We hear that that happens. We used to talk about children outgrowing their asthma, but as we followed asthmatic patients longer, we find that the better term is to say that these patients go into remission. So about half of children with asthma may go into remission.