A Community Approach to Juvenile Intractable Asthma

Abstract

Rehabilitation of children with refractory asthma utilizing the existing facilities of a local institution has proven successful in Cincinnati. A complete description of the origins, aims and services of this program is presented. The local nature of such a program has some distinct advantages over a national institution doing the same kind of work, chief among which is the opportunity for long-term clinical observation and laboratory studies of discharged children. In general this preliminary presentation of our clinical results in 47 patients corroborates the good results previously reported by other centers involved in long-term rehabilitation of children with asthma. Specific factors which may influence or produce clinical remissions in these patients are under current investigation. In our opinion, it is not only feasible, but also highly desirable, for other urban areas to develop similar treatment centers. It is conceivable that some type of federation, either formal or informal, would be mutually beneficial to all who are involved in this gratifying work, in both local and national centers.