Severe asthma

Before confirming this diagnosis it is therefore essential to check on the type of treatment prescribed and ensure it is being strictly adhered to day to day. Any factors that may be complicating the asthma management - such as obesity, gastroesophageal reflux, exposure to smoking and mites – must also be identified and treated. Severe asthma is a rare pathology that affects just 0.5% of all children and it requires treatment at an expert centre.    

New forms of treatment, known as “biotherapies”, have been developed to treat children with severe asthma. The Children’s Hospital is among the Belgian university centres for paediatric pulmonology that are authorised to request reimbursement for these new therapies.

Before prescribing them it is essential to ensure that it is indeed a case of severe asthma and not another diagnosis. Once the diagnosis is confirmed further examinations are needed to define the type of severe asthma so as to prescribe the most suitable biotherapy treatment. All these examinations can be carried out at the Children’s Hospital. Advice is also given to patients and their families to help them better understand asthma and avoid factors that can trigger an attack. An action plan is agreed for day-to-day asthma management. 

There is then regular follow-up to assess the response to the treatment, adjust the medication if necessary and provide continuous support for patients and family members.