Objective: To investigate whether an active partnership among school, parents, and pediatricians allows early identification and treatment of asthmatic children.
Methods: An asthma educational program (Happy Air), based on a strong family-physician-school interrelationship, was performed in six primary schools (2,765 children) before administering a screening questionnaire to the parents.
Results: A high response rate (96%) demonstrated 2,649 responders available for the asthma screening: 135 children (5%) received a diagnosis of asthma, of which 37 (27%) were recognized de novo.
Conclusion: The active participation of school and parents is the determining factor for the success of an asthma screening program.