Severe Asthma Clinic (Pediatric)

Asthma usually can be controlled by medications and patient education to manage the disease. Some children and adolescents may experience poor asthma control despite the use of prescribed medicines, due to the diverse nature of asthma, its associated medical conditions, and suboptimal adherence. Children with uncontrolled severe asthma may experience poor quality of life, frequent exacerbations, loss of lung function and more serious disease later in life, so it’s important to gain control over severe asthma quickly.To make an appointment for your child at the Pediatric Severe Asthma Clinic, call 1.877.CALL NJH (877.225.5654) or complete the online appointment form.

You also may learn more about the variety of treatment options available in our Pediatric Asthma Treatment Programs.

Why National Jewish Health

Children with severe persistent asthma may need a different approach to managing it – the pediatric asthma experts at National Jewish Health can help. Our Pediatric Severe Asthma Clinic features a multidisciplinary team of nationally recognized physicians with expertise in asthma, pulmonology, behavioral health, and pharmacology – plus knowledge about the latest asthma research and patient education protocols to help severe asthmatics gain control over their condition.

Make an appointment with the clinic if your child:

• Is taking multiple medications or high-dose steroids and his or her asthma is not under control
• Was admitted to the hospital once or more in the past year due to severe asthma
• Visited the emergency room more than once in the past year
• Experienced multiple prednisone bursts in the past year
• Missed one week or more of school due to asthma

Prevent a misdiagnosis

There are many medical conditions that can aggravate or mimic asthma. Confirming a diagnosis of asthma is key, especially when children are having trouble controlling severe asthma. In addition to being the nation’s leading respiratory hospital with extensive experience in treating asthma, National Jewish Health has experience in treating coexisting conditions that may initially look like pediatric asthma, including:

• Allergies
• Allergic rhinitis or rhinosinusitis
• Anxiety and depression
• Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
• Immunodeficiancy disease
• Obesity
• Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA)
• Vocal cord dysfunction (VCD)

The Pediatric Severe Asthma Clinic team will:

• Confirm your child's diagnosis of severe asthma
• Evaluate and address coexisting conditions, asthma triggers, and psychosocial and environmental issues that may impact asthma control
• Conduct an evaluation of the child's current medication regimen and adjust or trial medications as needed
• Develop an individualized written asthma action plan
• Monitor adherence to the asthma action plan and re-educate as needed
• Improve patient self-management skills by educating the patient and checking in to monitor progress
• Refer children and their families to the Pediatric Day Program for additional evaluation as needed