Pediatric asthma is characterized by chronic airway inflammation and reversible airway constriction that causes recurring symptoms over time, usually triggered by various factors. The document outlines the pathophysiology and classification of asthma as either intermittent or persistent. Persistent asthma requires daily preventative treatment with inhaled corticosteroids as the gold standard anti-inflammatory medication, while intermittent asthma can be treated with bronchodilators as needed.