Abstract

Objective: Asthma is the most common childhood chronic disease characterized by reversible airway obstruction. We aimed to determine the age of onset of asthma symptoms and when families were informed about the diagnosis of their children for the first time and the time it took for patients to get a definitive diagnosis of asthma.

Methods: Our cross-sectional study was conducted between April 2010 and March 2019 in İzmir University of Health Sciences Turkey, Dr. Behçet Uz Pediatric Diseases and Surgery Training and Research Hospital and Balıkesir University Faculty of Medicine, between the ages of 4-18 years, who were followed-up in our Outpatient Clinics of Pediatric Allergy with a diagnosis of asthma, proved by reversibility in pulmonary function test were included. Those interviewed with their parents for inclusion in the study between August 1 and December 1, 2019 and those who accepted to fill out the case inquiry form were included in the study.

Results: The mean age of diagnosis of asthma was 7.19±3.07 years. The mean age of first cough attacks was 3.7±2.6 years, the mean age of the first shortness of breath/wheezing complaints was 3.4±2.6 years. The mean age of the first initial history of frequent respiratory infection periods was 3.7±2.5 years and it was determined that the mean age of first nebulizer/inhaler treatment was 3.1±2.6 years ago before they were diagnosed with asthma. Also, we found the period between the first symptoms and diagnosis asthma was significantly shorter in children with nonatopic asthma compared to atopic asthma.

Conclusion: In children who diagnoses with asthma, the first symptoms start early ages and there was a delay in diagnosing asthma. Therefore, controlling treatment is delayed, long-term prognosis and quality of life are affected.