What Is Asthma?
Asthma is a condition
that causes breathing problems. Kids may cough, wheeze, or be short of breath. This
happens because airways in the lungs
get swollen, smaller, and filled with mucus.
Asthma is common in kids and teens, and tends to run in families. It can be mild
or so severe that it gets in the way of daily activities.
With medicine
and the right care plan, asthma symptoms can be managed so that kids and teens can
do just about anything they want to do.
What Causes Asthma?
No one knows exactly why some people develop asthma. Experts think it might be
a combination of environmental factors and genes.
People with asthma may have a parent or other close relative with asthma. Those
who are overweight may be more likely to have it.
How Asthma Affects Breathing
In asthma, air doesn't move through the lungs the way it should.
Normally, when someone breathes in, air goes in through the nose or mouth, down
the windpipe (trachea), and into the airways (bronchioles) of the lungs. When people
breathe out, air exits the body in the opposite direction.
With asthma, air has a harder time passing through. Airways swell and fill with
mucus. The muscles around the airways tighten, making airways narrower. Things that
can irritate the airways are called "triggers." Common triggers include cigarette
smoke, allergies, and exercise.
Triggers can lead to asthma flare-ups or "attacks."
What Are the Signs and Symptoms of Asthma?
Asthma Flare-Ups
Flare-ups are when asthma symptoms get
worse. They happen when airways get more irritated and inflamed (swollen) than usual.

During a flare-up, kids might have:
- trouble breathing
- a tight chest
- a whistling sound while breathing (wheezing)
- a cough
- a fast heartbeat
Some flare-ups are serious, but others are mild. Flare-ups can happen suddenly
or build up over time, especially if kids don't take their asthma medicines as directed.
Things that bring on a flare-up are called triggers.
Triggers vary from person to person, but common ones include:
An important part of managing asthma is avoiding triggers. Your child's doctor
will work with you to create a care plan that helps prevent flare-ups as much as possible.
How Is Asthma Diagnosed?
To diagnose asthma, doctors will ask questions about a child's health, problems
with breathing, and family medical history. They'll also ask about any allergies,
illnesses, and exposure to things that may make breathing worse.
Kids will have a physical exam and may have a lung function test. This usually
involves testing breathing with a spirometer,
a machine that analyzes airflow through the airways.