Which medications are typically used for moderate persistent asthma in children aged 0-4?

For children aged 0-4 with moderate persistent asthma, medium-dose inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) are typically recommended. This category of medication is effective in controlling asthma symptoms by reducing inflammation in the airways, making it an essential component of asthma management for this age group. The use of medium-dose ICS is based on established guidelines which suggest that for children with moderate persistent asthma, a higher dosage is necessary compared to those with mild persistent asthma but not as high as for severe cases.

While high-dose ICS may be used in more severe asthma cases, it's not the first-line treatment for moderate persistent asthma due to the potential for increased side effects. Low-dose ICS combined with long-acting beta-agonists (LABA) is usually reserved for children who do not have adequate control with medium-dose ICS alone. Similarly, while combining LABA with montelukast can be considered in some cases, the standard treatment pathway emphasizes medium-dose ICS as the primary medication for managing moderate persistent asthma in young children.

The focus on medium-dose ICS balances the need for sufficient control of symptoms while minimizing potential side effects associated with higher dosages, which is why it is the correct answer in this context.