If you are an Asthma sufferer, remember to make an appointment for your GP to check your condition and medication on an annual basis.
Asthma causes the airways of the lungs (the bronchi) to become inflamed and swollen.
Common triggers include house dust mites, animal fur, pollen, tobacco smoke, cold air and chest infections.
When the bronchi are irritated, they become narrow and the muscles around them tighten, which can increase the production of sticky mucus, or phlegm. This makes it difficult to breathe and causes wheezing and coughing, and it may make your chest feel tight.
The severity of the symptoms of asthma differs from person to person, from mild to severe. The narrowing of the airways is usually reversible – occurring naturally, or through the use of medicines. However, for some people with chronic (long-lasting) asthma, the inflammation may lead to an irreversible obstruction of the airways.
http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/asthma/Pages/Introduction.aspx
In the UK, over 1.1m children have asthma. Asthma in children is more common among boys than girls. Children who develop asthma at a very young age are more likely to 'grow out' of the condition as they get older.
During the teenage years, the symptoms of asthma will disappear in approximately three-quarters of all children with the condition. However, asthma can return in adulthood. If the childhood symptoms of asthma are moderate to severe, it is more likely that the condition will return later in life..
http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/asthma-in-children/Pages/Introduction.aspx
(Courtesy of NHS Choices)