Do the characteristics of asthma change during adolescence?
Asthma symptoms can be variable during adolescence, because there are so many great changes in the physiology of the body in general. Some adolescents, however, will have fewer asthma symptoms. Young males in their late adolescence and early adulthood will often notice fewer symptoms. That used to be thought of as growing out of asthma; we now know asthma is not something that goes away, but that the symptoms can lessen over time. Female adolescents who are going through puberty can have hormonal influences, so they may have more asthma symptoms at different times of the month. Or their asthma may worsen as they go through puberty. Certainly young women can have changes in their asthma due to becoming pregnant, having a pregnancy and delivering a baby, followed by the fatigue of being a new parent. All of these things are special issues that we need to be aware of and share with our patients, so we’re customizing their therapy to best fit with their life. Are there any special treatmen
