So, what is it?  Asthma.

Asthma is an inflammatory condition of the bronchial airways which allows for too much mucus to be produced and the airways to contract.  These changes cause airway restriction, chest tightening, coughing and wheezing.  If severe, shortness of breath and low blood oxygen can result.

While asthma can be very serious, it is also a reversible disease.  The key to controlling asthma is identifying its triggers.  The following are some possible conditions that may trigger your child's asthmatic episodes.

• Exercise.  Running can trigger an episode in over 80 percent of children with asthma.  But, when a bronchodilator medication is used before exercise, most of these incidences may be prevented.  The best exercise for asthmatic children seems to be swimming.
• Infections.  Viral respiratory infections can trigger the most serious attacks  because antibiotics have little if any effect.  To control asthma triggered by a viral infection, bronchodilator medication, good hydration and corticosteroids when needed are required.  For bacterial infections such as sinusitis, bronchitis and ear infections, antibiotics may be used.
• Allergies.  Common allergens are indoor inhalants (house dust, feathers, molds and pets), outdoor inhalants (molds and pollens) or ingested foods (milk, soy, wheat, etc.).  Food allergies are usually the least bothersome.
• Irritants.  Common irritants include cigarette smoke, air pollution, strong odors, aerosol sprays, paint fumes and any other substance that irritates the tissues of the lungs and upper airways. 
• Weather.  Studies have shown that breathing cold air can be a trigger in most children with asthma.  Windy weather scatters more outdoor allergens.  Heavy rainfall washes most of them away.  But, a light rainfall may produce more molds. 
• Emotions.  While emotional factors cannot alone cause asthma, emotional stress may occasionally trigger an existing asthma condition.  Situations that produce crying, laughing or yelling may trigger asthma.  Emotional stress (anxiety, frustration, anger) can also trigger asthma.  Anxiety is a particularly important emotion to watch for since most kids develop anxious feelings from the suffocation produced by their asthma attack.  Encourage relaxation and remain calm for your child during their episode.

A natural response for a parent might be to restrict their child's activities or hover over them to prevent any wheezing or coughing.  While asthma is a chronic illness, it should not be a debilitating one.  A child with asthma can have a normal or near-normal lung function with appropriate management and medications.  It is entirely possible for an asthmatic child to have normal endurance and excel in athletics.  Parents should get their child involved in their care by increasing their responsibilities as they get older.

In the end, it is important to realize that asthma is a disease that when approached with the right treatment is reversible in most cases.  Educating yourself and your child about asthma, learning their triggers and using the proper medications may allow your child to do what every child so desperately wants to do � be like the other kids.  It may even make them strive to be the next famous person with asthma.

For more information on childhood asthma, talk to your physician or contact the American Lung Association at www.lungusa.org or the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology at www.aaaai.org.