A most common mode of treatment of a 1-year-old child with asthma is –
Treatment of asthma 
Treatment of asthma can be divided into -
A) Treatment of chronic asthma
B) Treatment of acute exacerbation -

Treatment of mild, moderate or severe exacerbation
Treatment of life-threatening exacerbation (status asthmaticus)

Treatment of chronic asthma

Treatment of chronic asthma is given to control asthma and to prevent acute exacerbation.
Severity of asthma is classified on the basis of -


The frequency of daytime symptoms     
The frequency of nighttime symptoms 
The degree of airflow obstruction (FEV1)
Peak expiratory flow (PEF) variability


For children less than 5 years of age, severity is classified on the basis of (1) and (2) only because young children cannot perform the manoeuvre required for lung function measurement ((3) & (4)).

I) Mild intermittent                                  

Symptoms for ≤ 2 days/week                           
Symptoms for 5 ≤ 2 night/month                  
FEV1 80%                                                 
PEF variability < 20%           

2) Mild persistent    

Symptoms > 2days / week  
PEF variability 20-30%     
Symptoms >2 night / months    
FEV1 80%        

3) Moderate persistent                                

Day symptoms daily                                    
Symptoms > I night/week                            
FEV1 > 60% - < 80%                                 
PEF variability >30%                                  
A stepwise pharmacological therapy is indicated.

  4) Severe persistent

Continuous day symptoms
Frequent night symptoms
FEVi 60%
PEF variability >30%
Inhaled short acting beta 2 agonist
Oral short acting theophylline
Oral ketotifen
Leukotriene agonist