Disease Information

Asthma affects people of all ages and often starts during childhood. You may wheeze, cough, or feel tightness in your chest. These symptoms can range from mild to severe and can happen every day or only once in a while. Certain things can set off or worsen asthma symptoms, such as cold air. These are called asthma triggers. When symptoms get worse, it is called an asthma attack. (SOURCE: National Institutes of Health) 

About 25 million people in the United States live with asthma—and around 7 million of these are children. Asthma disproportionately affects African American children in the U.S. (SOURCE: National Institutes of Health)