General information only. This Parent Resource summarizes WHO asthma information without providing individualized treatment instructions.
What is asthma?
WHO describes asthma as a chronic lung disease involving inflammation and tightening around the small airways, making breathing more difficult.
What symptoms can occur?
WHO lists combinations of cough, wheeze, shortness of breath and chest tightness. Symptoms can vary over time and may be mild or severe.
What can be associated with worse symptoms?
WHO describes factors including respiratory infections, weather changes, dust, smoke, fumes, pollen, animal fur and feathers, and strong soaps or perfumes as possible triggers for some people.
Why is asthma important in childhood?
WHO identifies asthma as the most common chronic disease among children and notes that under-diagnosis and under-treatment remain challenges, especially in lower-resource settings.
Similar symptoms can have other causes. This page cannot determine whether coughing, wheezing or breathing difficulty in an individual child is asthma.
References
- World Health Organization. Asthma, 28 April 2026.