The emotional and social effects associated with childhood asthma are often underestimated. The clinical presentation of childhood asthma, its complications and sequalae may vary from child to child. In addition, asthma being a chronic illness impacts on patient and their families too. It is very important to recognize the stresses and the burden experienced by families of these children. Many asthma patients and their families try to live as “normal” as possible by adjusting to their restrictions or suppressing them. Evidently, the chronicity of the childhood asthma with its transient disability during repeated attacks can adversely influences the child and the family. Methods: The impact of the childhood asthma on the child and the family were assessed using Children Health Survey of Asthma (CHSA) questionnaire which was validated in the local setting. The questionnaire was administered to mothers of children aged 5 to 11 years or the person who spent the maximum time with the index child when the mother is not there to look after the child. The study was conducted in the Colombo Municipal Council area in the Colombo district. The study population was the children agedbetween 5 to11 years who had asthma attack within two weeks prior to data collection and their mothers and/ or the caregivers. Results: Assessment of the impact of the childhood asthma on the child and the family assessed using CHSA questionnaire the severity of the disease was significantly associated with mean scores of four of the five domains: Physical health of the child(p<0.001) Emotional health of the child (p<0.001), Emotional health of the family(p<0.001) and the Activities of the child(p<0.001). There was no association between severity of the disease and the activity of the child mean score(p>0.001). Conclusion: Higher scores for all given domains were seen among the low symptom group children, means better health. With the increase of age, score of the physical health of the child is decreasing.

Keywords : Childhood asthma, emotional impact, physical impact.