What is asthma?
Asthma is a chronic disease of the airways in the lungs. The airways are very sensitive and may be inflamed even though symptoms are not always present. The degree and severity of airway irritation varies over time. One of the most important goals of asthma treatment is to control the irritation in the airways and the symptoms that result.
In an asthma "attack," the airways become narrowed or blocked. The inner lining of the airways becomes inflamed (swollen and irritated) and the outer muscles tighten around the airways, making breathing difficult. The good news is that this can be treated and controlled.
Who gets asthma?
Asthma is the most common serious chronic disease of childhood. It is one of the main reasons children miss school and the most frequent cause for hospitalization in children. In the United States, nearly 1 out of every 10 children has asthma.
Many things can influence the onset of asthma and include family history (children who have family members with allergies or asthma), infections, exposure to allergens, exposure to tobacco smoke, and exposure to air pollutants. Children with other types of allergic diseases (eczema, food allergy, hay fever) also are more likely to develop asthma.
The number of children with asthma has been increasing worldwide, and the amount of illness caused by asthma may also be increasing in some parts of the country. The reasons for these increases are not exactly known.
What are symptoms of asthma?
Symptoms of asthma can appear quickly or develop slowly. Some children have symptoms of asthma often enough that they have to take medicine every day. Other children may need medicine just once in a while. Every child is different.
A cough may be the first and sometimes only asthma symptom. Other symptoms may include
- Wheezing (a high-pitched whistling sound)
- Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
- Tightness in the chest
- Decreased ability to exercise or self-limiting exercise (information taken from www.aap.org)
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