Asthma is the leading chronic disease among children in most industrialized countries. However, the evidence base on specific aspects of pediatric asthma, including therapeutic strategies, is limited and no recent international guidelines have focused exclusively on pediatric asthma. As a result,

Increasing maternal vitamin D intakes during pregnancy may decrease the risk of wheeze symptoms in early childhood.

Summary There is a growing consensus that the long term solution to the asthma epidemic lies in prevention and not in treatment of established disease. Atopic asthma arises from gene x environment interactions which most commonly occur during a relatively narrow window period in pre- and postnatal development. These interactions are incompletely understood, and hence the holy grail of primary prevention remains an elusive goal. We contend that a lack of understanding of the role of atopy in early life in the development of persistent asthma in children exists amongst primary care physicians, paediatricians and specialists. In this review we argue that early identification of high risk children is feasible based on currently available technology, and worthwhile in relation to potential benefits to the children so identified. Knowledge of an asthmatic child's atopic status in early life has practical clinical and prognostic implications, as well as forming the basis for future preventative strategies.