gsk has test for kids asthma

Assessment tool proven to measure level of asthma control in children

Unique Child-Friendly Test for Children Four to 11 Years of Age

Anaheim, CA (November 7, 2005) – Parents and caregivers of children with asthma may not always know how their child is feeling – but now there is help with the availability of the Childhood Asthma Control Test. The Childhood Asthma Control Test, designed specifically with the child in mind, is a unique seven question quiz that can help parents/caregivers and healthcare providers determine whether a child’s asthma is under control by asking specific questions about the child’s symptoms. It is also the first validated assessment tool for asthma that involves the participation of both children and their parents or caregivers.


“The Childhood Asthma Control Test is reliable and so easy to use,” said Dr. Andrew Liu, Associate Professor of Pediatric Allergy & Immunology at the National Jewish Medical and Research Center. “Because of its design, the Childhood Asthma Control Test may be the key to helping parents talk to their child about asthma symptoms and helping children better communicate how they’re feeling about their asthma to ensure the disease is properly controlled.”


Today at the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI) annual meeting in Anaheim, CA, data is being presented that shows the Childhood Asthma Control Test is not only reliable but also accurate in its assessment of asthma control when used with children four to 11 years of age – correctly classifying the child’s level of asthma control in 72% of cases.


The first of its kind, the Childhood Asthma Control Test design is consistent with asthma treatment guidelines established by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) for patients with asthma.


Results of a recent survey* showed that in the U.S., children are still falling far short of the national treatment goals established for asthma, and revealed that the majority of children with asthma do not have it under control, often resulting in missed school days and absence from work by parents. The survey also found that the majority of parents and caregivers underestimated the severity of their child’s asthma symptoms, underscoring the need for a simple tool like the Childhood Asthma Control Test that parents/caregivers and children can take together to assess the child’s symptoms.


Many children with asthma experience frequent symptoms that may interfere with everyday activities, but in most cases this can be prevented with proper management. The development of the Childhood Asthma Control Test provides parents/caregivers an opportunity to talk to their child about the child’s asthma, help determine if their child’s asthma is under control, and encourages discussion of the child’s test results and treatment plan with a healthcare provider.


About the Childhood Asthma Control Test

The Childhood Asthma Control Test is a seven-item questionnaire which gives healthcare providers and parents/caregivers a simple, yet highly predictive tool they can use to help assess asthma control in children four to 11 years of age. The Childhood Asthma Control Test includes four questions for the child to complete (using graphics to depict a child’s emotions that represent how they may feel when suffering from asthma), and three questions for parents/caregivers. The total score on the test is based on a range of 0 to 27 – with higher scores indicating better control. A score of 19 or less may be an indication that asthma symptoms are not as controlled as they could be. If a child scores 19 or less, parents/caregivers should discuss the results with a healthcare provider to ensure they are properly controlling their child’s symptoms. Even if a child’s score is 20 or more, an indication that their asthma may be under control, a healthcare provider should be consulted to discuss the results as other factors may be considered in assessing overall asthma control.


In a recent validation study, the Childhood Asthma Control Test was administered to more than 340 children and their parents/caregivers at nine leading asthma specialist clinics. After completing the questionnaire, the child took a lung function test (spirometry) to measure pre-bronchodilator FEV1 (forced expiratory volume in one second).

Asthma specialists – who were blinded to the child’s results – examined the child and offered a global assessment of the child’s asthma control. The Childhood Asthma Control Test was able to discriminate between children considered controlled or not controlled based on spirometry and the specialist’s global assessment. The test correctly classified a patient’s level of asthma control in nearly three quarters of the cases.

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