Lay summary
Asthma is the most common illness of childhood, and the leading cause for hospital visits. Māori and Pacific children are affected more often and are much more likely to need admission to hospital. Preschool asthma is treated like asthma in older children, including three-days of oral steroid medicine for more serious episodes. However, new information suggests that preschool asthma is a short-lived illness, meaning these children may only need one-day of steroid medicine. In the STeroids in preschool Asthma Reduction (STAR) Study, we will compare how well wheezy preschoolers do when treated with one- versus three-days of oral steroid. If this study shows no differences for children who have the shorter course, their treatment will be much easier, and their risk of side-effects from steroid medicine will be much less. This will be especially important for preschoolers who suffer repeated wheezy episodes and receive several courses of steroid every year.