Asthma

Hi, I am SuAnne, an undergraduate study student near Washington D.C., where like anywhere else, teen health issues are a concern for many. One major health problem among the world is Asthma.

Asthma is a chronic (long term) lung disease that inflames and narrows the airways. Asthma causes recurring periods of wheezing, chest tightness, shortness of breath, and coughing.

Asthma affects people of all ages, but it most often starts in childhood. In the United States, more than 22 million people are known to have asthma. Nearly 9 million of these people are children. Asthma is a concern to me because I witness my mother having asthma attacks often. It is something scary to watch because it’s not much you can do.

Teenagers enjoy participating in sports activities in school. Asthma cannot stop you from being involved, but it can stop you from being as active because you often have to stop and catch your breath if you are doing a lot of moving. The fitter you are, the better your asthma reacts with what you do with your body. This should not be a reason for one to choose not to participate in physically fit activities because they are capable jus like any other person. At the 1996 Olympic Games, at least one in six athletes from the U.S. had a history of asthma, had taken asthma medications or had symptoms that suggested asthma. In fact, the athletes with asthma won just as many team or individual medals as their peers without asthma.