OBJECTIVE:To describe the characteristics of children hospitalized for asthma and to identify the factors that may prevent re-hospitalization METHODS:162 children hospitalized for asthma were reviewed in respect to the personal history of asthma,medical care before admission,adequacy of the parent's knowledge on asthma,details of the current episode of asthma and the causes of hospital admission RESULTS:According to the pattern of symptoms in the previous 12 months,65 4% of the children had infrequent episodic asthma,26 5% frequent episodic asthma,and 8% persistent asthma Infrequent episodic asthma was much more common in the younger children(