New guidelines for pediatric asthma.

More than 6 million U.S. children have asthma, the leading cause of school absenteeism attributable to chronic conditions and the third leading cause of hospitalization among children under age 15. In November 2005, the National Environmental Education & Training Foundation released Environmental Management of Pediatric Asthma: Guidelines for Healthcare Providers. Funded by the NIEHS, the peer-reviewed guidance was built on current best practices and includes competencies for managing environmental asthma triggers in pediatric care, an environmental history form for clinicians to use, and intervention guidelines and fliers for specific triggers such as dust mites, cockroaches, and mold spores. Incorporating these guidelines into medical and nursing curricula could give future generations of primary care providers the tools to better manage pediatric asthma.