Impact of short-term oral steroid use upon children's school achievement and behavior.

Physicians need clarification of whether the temporary use of adrenal corticosteroids to abort acute asthma can adversely effect school achievement and behavior problems. Nineteen nonsteroid-dependent asthmatic children were given prednisone orally while all other medications were kept constant. Five days later, when they were seen in the physician's office, an academic achievement test was administered to the child; and the child, a parent, and a teacher completed behavior rating surveys. After 2 weeks off the steroids the child returned to the physician's office and the achievement test and rating scales were completed again. There was no significant difference between the achievement test scores and behavior ratings in school or at home under the two conditions. Short-term use of oral steroids does not impair children's basic academic skills nor their behavior at school or home.