Help With Asthma Childhood asthma is not a disorder or a
handicap; it is a treatable illness that affects about 4 million
children in the United States alone. Children who have asthma
can function just as normally as those who do not, as long as
certain precautions are taken. Asthma can be treated, controlled
and kept at bay when various guidelines are followed, according
to Mount Sinai Hospital in Chicago. Once identified, these
guidelines can help both children who suffer from asthma -- and
their parents -- breathe a little easier. What is Asthma? Asthma
is a disease that causes the airways in the lungs to become
narrow when they respond to various substances. As the airways
narrow, it becomes difficult for a person to breathe or "catch
his breath." As a result, the child may hunch over, arch his
back, wheeze, cough or grasp at his/her chest in an attempt to
get more air into their lungs. As a result of the inability to
breathe, children may become scared and may panic, resulting in
an increased difficulty