Commentary

Asthma is the commonest chronic disease in childhood. In the UK, there are 1.1 million children with the condition, equating to approximately three in every classroom.1 Asthma is more common and more severe in the UK than in many other parts of the world,2 and between 20 and 30 children die from the condition per year.

With these statistics in mind, the education of families of children with asthma as to the management of the condition, including appropriate behaviour when asthma deteriorates, is paramount. The use of telemedicine in such education is gaining in popularity, particularly telephone reviews. In addition, the use of such technology is in line with government policy on management of long-term conditions. Telephone reviews for asthma have been shown …