[Clinical aspects of bronchial asthma in childhood].

The main symptoms of bronchial asthma are expiratory wheezing, and overinflation of the lungs. In children the so-called obstructive bronchitis has to be considered especially since prognosis and therapy are different as compared with adult conditions. Clinically it is very important to differentiate between the severe asthmatic attack and status asthmaticus since the latter does not respond to bronchodilatation. The malign asthma crisis is of increasing importance. Chronic overinflation of the lungs seems to be a special risk factor. The classification of bronchial asthma according to frequency of attacks is meaningful especially in view of social-medical aspects.