Bangalore: Tuesday is World Asthma Day. A large number of people in the city suffer from this serious respiratory disorder.

Among them, the percentage of children is quite high; while many children outgrow this disorder with timely treatment, others may have a lifelong chronic ailment to cope with, because they were not treated early enough.

Pulmonologist K.S. Satish said here on Monday that asthma can almost be entirely prevented, but many people, especially parents of asthmatic children, refuse to even accept the diagnosis or shy away from inhalation therapy.

There are also parents who get exploited by quacks or use medication which may not very safe. Many such medicines may contain steroids, no longer used by qualified physicians.

"Inhalation is a modern therapy in which a tiny dose of medication is breathed into the lungs through the mouth, using a pocket-sized inhaler. The medication does not travel around the body unlike tablets ... inhalation therapy has been around for over 30 years," Dr. Satish said.

It has been found safe even when used by pregnant women and nursing mothers and very young children. Asthma can be diagnosed in a doctor's clinic without expensive tests and treated easily and effectively. With a good doctor and the right treatment, a patient in a small village can get the same quality of treatment as one in a metro. With both preventive and control treatment, many asthmatics can lead normal lives and even be involved actively in sports.

Paediatric pulmonologist Mahesh Babu said treatment had to start with proper diagnosis.

"We are still under diagnosing childhood asthma. Such children, like adult asthmatics, should not be exposed to conditions like indoor or outdoor air pollution, tobacco smoke or chemicals which may make symptoms worse."

The Respiratory Chapter of the Indian Academy of Paediatricians has published a book. There are also asthma training modules run by qualified trainers.

These interactive case-based modules on childhood asthma were conducted even in small towns to educate paediatricians. Increasing awareness about the usefulness and safety of inhaler therapy still had to be carried forward, Dr. Babu added.

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