PEDIATRICS Vol. 81 No. 1 January 1988, pp. 174
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Call It Asthma

THOMAS F. PLAUT MD1, EMLEN H. JONES MD1, DAVID R. MARSH MD1, and DAVID N. GOTTSEGEN MD1

1 Amherst Medical Associates, Box 841, 170 University Dr, Amherst, MA 01004

To the Editor.—

The childhood wheezing season is here again. With it comes advice from many quarters for pediatricians to eradicate the symptoms with inhaled adrenergic drugs or theophylline, but "don't call it asthma." Call it a wheezing-associated respiratory illness,1 a wheezing problem, or bronchitis to avoid upsetting parents with the word "asthma."

We diagnose wheezing as asthma in almost every child older than 1 year of age in whom bronchodilators cause an abatement of symptoms or a 20% increase in the peak expiratory flow rate.