Recognition and management of asthma in children and young people.

Asthma is a common childhood disorder that has global significance. Developing an understanding of the aetiology, effects, diagnosis and management of the disorder enables healthcare practitioners to reduce the physical, psychological and social effects of asthma on children, families and healthcare systems. This article refers to the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network and British Thoracic Society guideline on the management of asthma, and enables the reader to incorporate this guidance into their practice.

Service user and carer involvement in pre-registration student selection.

An online questionnaire was undertaken to evaluate the involvement of service users and carers in the student selection process and to identify how the pre-registration process might be enhanced. Respondents comprised 34 students, all of whom had been selected for the pre-registration nursing education programme following this process, and 22 others, including service users and carers, practitioners, and lecturers, who had been involved in the selection process. A positive attitude to the involvement of service users and carers was evident in all groups, although there were some concerns and suggestions about how and when involvement of service users and carers should occur.

Measles: pathology, management and public health issues.

Measles is a highly contagious viral disease that continues to occur in epidemics in the UK despite efforts to eradicate it. In the acute stage, measles is associated with several complications including otitis media, but some of the most severe consequences of the disease occur months and even years after the initial infection. Worldwide, measles contributes significantly to deaths in childhood and places an additional burden on families already living with the consequence of poverty and conflict.

Whooping cough: identification, assessment and management.

Although there is a high uptake of vaccinations providing protection against Bordetella pertussis, the main cause of whooping cough, there has been an increase in the incidence of notifications of the disease in the UK and other developed countries in recent years. The increase in cases of whooping cough is mainly evident in older children and adults. While these individuals may experience persistent and unpleasant symptoms, most notably prolonged cough, symptoms may be mild, in part, because most older children and adults have been vaccinated against the disease.

Health behaviors and academic success.

Many educators are interested in ways to help students achieve academic success. The authors determined the relationship between health behaviors and academic success and found that establishing an at-risk profile of health behaviors can assist faculty members in addressing problems that directly influence student performance.