Due to the heterogenity of childhood asthma, different phenotypes of disease were recognized in preschool and school-age children. In school-age children with persistent asthma, treatment with inhaled corticosteroid is associated with significant improvements in lung function, bronchial hyperresponsiveness and quality of life.
In children younger than 5 years with recurrent wheezing at high-risk for development of asthma preventive inhaled corticosteroid therapy has also multiple clinical benefits.