According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), asthma is on the rise throughout the United States. CDC figures show that 6.7 million people suffered from asthma in 1980, and 17.3 million had the disease by 1998. About 25% of the asthmatics are children.

Asthma is considered the leading chronic illness in children. It also heads the list of causes for student absence from school. Untreated asthma can lead to permanent respiratory damage, so proper diagnosis is critical. Key symptoms are wheezing and severe shortness of breath, persistent cough, and a constantly running nose.

• Students can see how to identify asthma in this article from our news partner, CNNfyi.com, "When shortness of breath means asthma."
• Students can obtain more statistics and information about the scope of the problem at the National Center for Environmental Health's Asthma Prevention Program.

Many people who suffer from asthma seem to outgrow it as they mature into adulthood. Even so, doctors are seeing a rise in asthma among senior citizens. CDC statistics show that as many as 10% of asthma sufferers are 65 and older. Experts now think that people never entirely outgrow asthma, and the potential is always there for it to resurface later in life — or even to appear for the first time.

There are several theories about why asthma is on the rise among the elderly. One explanation is that they have been exposed to environmental irritants like smoke and pollutants for long periods of time. Another explanation (and the two are not necessarily contradictory) is that the respiratory tract infections common among the elderly make it easier for asthma to develop.

Common asthma symptoms among young people — wheezing and breathing difficulties during exercise — are less common among the elderly, who tend to be less active physically. Therefore, asthma among the elderly is often misdiagnosed as emphysema.

• Have students read about the increase in asthma among senior citizens in the CNN.com article, "Asthma in adults common, but little-known, problem."

In the Biology Gateways activity, Health and the Respiratory System: Emphysema, students can explore emphysema in order to understand why asthma is often misdiagnosed as emphysema in the elderly.

Analyzing the Problem
Have students explain how the physical phenomena occurring during an asthma attack might cause each of the following symptoms:

• wheezing


• breathing difficulties/shortness of breath


• persistent cough and constantly running nose

Extending the Problem
(1) Students can learn more about asthma, how to cope with it, and available treatments at the following sites:

• Breath of Life
• American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, and in particular the article "Growing Up with Asthma," by Olympic gold medalist Kurt Grote)
• This CNN article describes how household changes can reduce asthma in children.

(2) One theory for explaining the rise in cases of asthma is that it is triggered by pollutants in the air we breathe. There are two major forms of pollution affecting our air: fine-particle and ozone (smog). Students can read more in the following sources:

• "Bad Air Days"
• "The Air We Breathe," an in-depth discussion designed for students on fine-particle air pollution
• Another airborne "pollutant" that has been identified as an asthma trigger is cockroach antigens (proteins found in their feces, saliva, eggs, and shed cuticles). Students can learn more in the article, "Working the Bugs out of Asthma."

(3) Students can use the "How Asthma-Friendly Is Your School?" questionnaire to research their school's awareness of asthma. Have them evaluate the situation and develop a plan of action for improvements in areas that are open to student input.

Bad air is only one environmental factor that can harm children's health. Have students learn about some of the other factors (water, food, and play environment) at the EPA's Office of Children's Heath Protection.