How Are Children Affected By Asthma?

Asthma is the most common long-term childhood disease, affecting 4.8 million children. Nearly 1 in 13 school-aged children has asthma, and the percentage of children with asthma is rising more rapidly in preschool-aged children than in any other age group.

Asthma accounts for one-third of all pediatric emergency room visits and is the fourth most common cause for physician office visits. Asthma is one of the leading causes of school absenteeism, accounting for over 10 million missed school days per year. Asthma also accounts for many nights of interrupted sleep, limitation of activity, and disruptions of family and care-giver routines. Asthma symptoms that are not severe enough to require a visit to an emergency room or to a physician can still be severe enough to prevent a child with asthma from living a fully active life.

Children breathe more air, eat more food, and drink more liquid in proportion to their body weight than do adults. Their developing bodies may be more susceptible to environmental exposures than those of adults. In a typical day, children may be exposed to a wide array of environmental agents at home, in day care centers, schools and while playing outdoors.