AAP Clinical Report Looks at Treatments for Asthma, Allergic Skin Conditions

An estimated 7 million children in the United States have asthma, which causes significant health care burdens and affects quality of life. Asthma and atopic skin conditions can be difficult to treat and lead to significant morbidity and child and family stress. Pediatricians are faced with a widening array of targeted therapies, but the question of what therapy to choose for which patient remains an area of continued study, an American Academy of Pediatrics clinical report, “Biologics for Asthma and Allergic Skin Diseases in Children,” notes. The report, which will be published in the November 2021 issue of Pediatrics (published online Oct. 18), recommends that pediatricians and pediatric subspecialists work together and be aware of the benefits and risks of these medications for their patients as well as the practical implications of providing these options for their patients. The report recommends that general pediatricians be familiar with adverse effects of biologic therapy, particularly the risk of anaphylaxis with omalizumab, benralizumab, and dupilumab. Pediatric subspecialists, including allergists, dermatologists, and pulmonologists are necessary and key partners in determining the appropriate children for this type of therapy, as well as the most appropriate therapy for each child, the authors write.

HealthyChildren.org offers more information for parents:

Medications Used to Treat Asthma in Children

For children who have asthma, there are a variety of medications that can help them participate in all their normal physical activities with minimal symptoms. This HealthyChildren.org article outlies the various forms and types of asthma medications and recently updated asthma management guidelines.

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The American Academy of Pediatrics is an organization of 67,000 primary care pediatricians, pediatric medical subspecialists and pediatric surgical specialists dedicated to the health, safety and well-being of infants, children, adolescents and young adults.