The Roanoke Times – Staff Writer
When kids wheeze, gasp and cough because of asthma, not only are they contending with a potentially life-threatening lack of air, they also may find that they’re restricted from many of the everyday pleasures of running, playing and just being a kid. Today, about 6.2 million children younger than 18 have asthma — about one of every 12. It’s the No. 1 reason for missed school days (in the U.S., in 2013, that total was 13.8 million) and asthma is the third-ranking cause of hospitalization among children younger than 15. (more)