COVER STORY— June/July 2017
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coughing. The coughing often occurs at night or
early in the morning.
Asthma affects people of all ages, but it most
often starts during childhood. In the United
States, more than 25 million people are known
to have asthma. About 7 million of these people
are children. A
sthma (AZ-ma) is a chronic (long-
term) lung disease that inflames
and narrows the airways. Asth-
ma causes recurring periods
of wheezing (a whistling sound
when you breathe), chest tight-
ness, shortness of breath, and
Asthma:
Understanding and Reducing the Risks
