Asthma's Impact on Living and Learning

Chances are you know a child or an adult who has asthma because the disease is growing in New York City. Asthma is the leading cause of serious chronic illness among children and, among those with chronic illnesses, it's the leading cause of school absenteeism.

15,000 children in New York City are hospitalized each year because of asthma.
30 percent of school children with asthma - almost 40,000 students - miss from one to four weeks of school each year. That's a lot of catching up.
Asthma affects children in every neighborhood in the city.

There are several theories on why more and more children are getting asthma in New York City. Some attribute it to increasing air pollution or conditions in deteriorating housing. But everyone agrees that too many children are going to emergency rooms to treat their asthma, and too many children are missing precious time in school. Asthma is a serious disease, but you can manage it with your child so that he or she can stay out of danger and in school.