Who is affected by asthma

While these factors increase a person's risk for developing the disease, there are additional factors, such as poverty and lack of health insurance, that contribute to more asthma symptoms, emergency room visits and hospitalizations. Learn more about ways to improve asthma by understanding the risks related to exposure to things in the environment that are known to make asthma worse and management steps.

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Peak flow meters are available free of charge from the doctor. Children who live in a home with smokers are more likely to have respiratory infections — these infections are a known trigger for asthma. Also, exposure of young babies to cigarette smoke increases the risk of asthma and bronchial problems.

If a woman smokes during pregnancy, the chemicals in the smoke are passed on to the baby. These chemicals affect the cells of the developing lungs. Adult onset asthma refers to the onset of asthma for the first time in someone of middle age or older.

The usual symptoms of asthma are generally present — varying degrees of breathlessness, wheeze and productive cough. However, there are some features that make adult onset asthma different to that seen in the younger age group. We do not understand why symptoms develop at a certain age; or why they might disappear.

Smoking does not cause adult onset asthma, although it can trigger an attack. Vital signs: Asthma in children — United States, — National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project National Vital Statistics System: Mortality Annals of the American Thoracic Society , 15 3 , — Asthma-related missed school days among children aged years.

Department of Health and Human Services.