"Asthma is a chronic respiratory condition characterized by attacks of wheezing and difficulty breathing (Anspaugh, Hamrick, and Rosato 2000)." Asthma is a potentially life threatening lung disease (www.asthmaandschools.org/essentials/2-why.htm). The airways in the lungs, called bronchial tubes become blocked which causes the lungs to get less air than normal (www.epa.gov/iaq/asthma/introduction.html). These airways are very sensitive and can become inflamed and swollen when aggravated. The muscles around them tighten and mucus is produced which causes restriction of airflow (www.asthmaandschools.org/essentials/2-why.htm). Asthma triggers include lack of theophylline in the blood and many environmental factors. People who have asthma usually suffer from hay fever, allergies, sinus problems, and upper respiratory tract infections as well. During childhood, kids are usually underweight and weak. Sometimes their stomachs may be larger than normal because of air trapped in the lungs. In adulthood, people with asthma tend to be overweight with related health problems because of an inactive lifestyle (Sherrill 1998). An asthma attack can be mild or severe and may last from minutes to hours depending on the severity. Asthma cannot be cured but it is preventable if you have the right knowledge about prevention and treatment (www.asthmaandschools.org/essentials/2-why.htm).
Asthma can develop at any age but it is most common in younger children than adults. According to the U.S. Environmental Agency, " Nearly 1 in 13 school-aged children has asthma and asthma is the leading cause of school absenteeism due to a chronic illness (www.epa.gov/iaq/asthma/introduction.html)". Asthma is more severe in the urban inner cities and is most frequent in African-American and the Hispanic populations. Doctors believe that certain traits will link to a person to develop asthma, including heredity (www.epa.gov/iaq/asthma/introduction.