What is asthma?
Asthma is a common childhood condition, affecting over 17 million Americans. Asthma is a chronic lung disease caused by the restriction of airways called “bronchioles” in the lungs. This restriction is caused by inflammation (swelling) of the muscles that surround the bronchioles, and reduces the amount of air that can flow in and out of the lungs. Asthma occurs in “attacks that can last from minutes to days. Asthma can be dangerous if an attack severely restricts breathing, and should be controlled by a physician. Asthma attacks usually lessen in severity as a child grows, and most children eventually stop having attacks. However, asthma sometimes continues in to adulthood. Asthma can also first appear later in life.