Hi Mike,

Thank you for your question! Pulmicort Flexhaler is FDA-approved for use in children 6 years and older. However, that just means it hasn't been tested in children under the age of six. Since the medication is inhaled through the nose, there is not a lot of medication that gets absorbed into the bloodstream, so there should be minimal (if any) side effects.s If you are concerned about your child taking a medication that's not FDA approved for use in a five year old, you should ask the doctor about trying something else.

Budesonide is an inhaled steroid medication. Steroids work by suppressing the immune system so that the airway is less reactive to foreign particles (or whatever else may be causing the allergy). Dr. Fred Little, a specialist, wrote an article about the long-term effects of steroids, which you can find here. I hope this helps.

Best of luck,

Casey