[Asthma in infants].

Infant asthma is a newly individualised entity, underdiagnosed and undertreated. The physiological and anatomical features in infancy, the particular frequency of respiratory viral infections at this age can explain clinical aspects of asthma in infant. Some risk and prognostic factors, however, have been established. These include allergy, viral infections, neonatal respiratory illness. An early diagnosis of the disease makes possible adequate preventive means to be carried on. Treatment, based firstly on environmental control must be started soon to preserve pulmonary growth.