Infant Asthma Update; [Asma del Lactante: Actualización]

Asthma in the first two years of life, in its most common presentation, recurrent episodes of wheezing and coughing, is a highly prevalent condition; however, it is often underdiagnosed and undertreated. A high proportion of these infants suffer from severe episodes, visits to emergency services and admissions for wheezing which deeply alters the quality of life of infants and their parents. The diagnosis of asthma in infants is clinical and based on the presence of recurrent cough and wheezing, risk factors for asthma, and response to treatment. Inhaled corticosteroids are the first-line treatment, and the adherence and therapeutic effect should be monitored. Currently, there are no scientific or clinical reasons for delaying diagnosis and treatment of infants with asthma symptoms, especially if the frequency and severity of episodes alter the quality of life of the child and his family. © 2017