Treatment often includes inhaled corticosteroids, to reduce inflammation, and long- and short-acting beta agonists like albuterol, to relax airway muscles.

WSJ: Kids With Asthma Play Hard, Too

Long-term, daily use of inhaled corticosteroids may slightly slow their annual growth rate, a side effect that's thought to be reversible when children stop taking the drug.

CNN: How to deal with your child's asthma

Why: Inhaled corticosteroids reduce airway inflammation long-term.

CNN: How to deal with your child's asthma