Asthma in children: Knowledge and care among parents

Because asthmatic children are fragile and inexperienced, they depend on their parents to give them a balanced life. So the quality of parental care, among other factors, is a key determinant of asthma control in children. Parents' levels of education, especially in health matters, form the basis for better quality parental care. This study was conducted in the paediatric emergency and resuscitation department of the CHU Hedi Chaker in Sfax, Southern Tunisia to assess parents' knowledge of asthma and their involvement in the management of this condition. The results obtained confirmed that asthma is a real concern and a problem for parents with an average level of knowledge, especially in terms of the pathophysiology of asthma and the use of treatment, which predisposes this population to more exacerbations, with a consequent deterioration in their quality of life. Given that asthma is the leading chronic disease in children, recognized by some as benign because paediatric mortality is fortunately low, but with a high morbidity rate, it should benefit from major national measures.