An up-to-the-minute reference guide for health professionals confronting pulmonary disorders in children, Pediatric Asthma offers the latest findings on this classification-defying disease and related conditions. Written by more than 20 international experts in the field, the book focuses on drug administration-issues of compliance, aerosol delivery, and pharmacokinetic differences among children-with a view toward developing new and more efficacious therapies. Provides cutting-edge analysis for more effective diagnosis of children with asthma and improved monitoring and treatment for chronic patients! With a firm theoretical grounding and reflecting the state of the art in pharmacological research and development, Pediatric Asthmareviews the prevalence, causes, and demographics of childhood asthma worldwide explores determinants of the disorder in various populations-gender, age and severity of onset, atopic status, family history, and smoking elucidates physiological factors such as airway remodeling, airway hyperresponsiveness, and persistent inflammation describes in vivo and in vitro testing for asthma-associated allergy and the pros and cons of allergen immunotherapy delineates the dynamics of the lung in terms of phenomena such as peak expiratory flow (PEF), forced vital capacity (FVC), and bronchial hyperresponsiveness (BHR) highlights the importance of patient education and self-management investigates the role that developmental psychopathologies and neurobehavioral dysfunctions may play in pediatric asthma discusses inflammatory mediators such as cytokines, chemokines, leukotrienes, and prostaglandins evaluates intravenous and inhaled 2 agonists for the bronchodilating treatment of acute severe asthma and more! Featuring over 2100 references, more than 60 user-friendly tables, and a handy Appendix on clinical monitoring of childhood asthma and recommended drug dosages for its treatment, Pediatric Asthma is an indispensable resource for pediatricians, pediatric pulmonologists, and pediatric pharmacists; clinical allergists and immunologists; general and family practitioners; and graduate and medical school students in these disciplines.