Many kids with asthma take meds on their own

In surveys of 351 parents of asthmatic children and teenagers, researchers found that by the age of 7 children were giving themselves their daily asthma medication nearly 20 percent of the time.

By age 11 they were responsible for taking their medication about half of the time.

Doctors say parents can help prepare their children for more responsibility by instructing them as they take their medication or by demonstrating how to do it.

The study in the journal Pediatrics.