Pediatric asthma refers to children below 18 years of age who suffer from asthma. Asthma is considered as the most prevalent chronic disease for children less than 18 years of age. Recent studies show that as many as 6.3 million children are known to be suffering from asthma. Out of the 6.3 million children, 24 percent of those cases are children who are between 5 and 17. These children have been advised to limit their activity because of their asthma. Asthma is also a known cause of many missed school days for children in the aforementioned age bracket. Studies show that a lot of these cases could have been prevented, had there been fewer misunderstandings about asthma symptoms and pediatric asthma guidelines. Most studies show that asthma cases in children affect minorities and inner-city regions with high mortality and morbidity rates. Although the rate of asthma cases among schoolchildren is relatively fewer, the prevalence of asthma cases in the lower-income, minority neighborhoods are much greater. Studies show that Caucasian children are less likely to be hospitalized due to asthma complication than African American children. African American children are also four times at a greater risk of dying from these complications. Most of the asthma cases in children are triggered by surrounding factors like secondhand smoke from cigarettes, dust mites, pet dander and air pollution. Out of the 2.6 million cases of pediatric asthma, 2 million of these children live in areas that fail that test for ozone levels.

A child that has asthma can have very strictly limited lives. Even if their pediatric asthma symptoms are not severe, these symptoms can still hinder a child’s participation in school and games. Children suffering from pediatric asthma that occur at night can seriously affect their sleep habits. Families, who get too worried and are misinformed, might prevent their children from participating in activities, even if these activities are not dangerous to the children. Working parents of children with pediatric asthma might struggle to take care of their children if they miss school. Children with pediatric asthma miss approximately 15 million days in school because of their asthma attacks. These missed school days can cause the student to perform poorly in their studies.

Research shows that approximately $3.2 million are spent annually in pediatric asthma treatments. There is a vast difference in the cost of medical expenses between children not suffering from asthma and children who suffer from pediatric asthma. A child with pediatric asthma can amass an average of $1,050 in annual medical expenses compared to the $620 that a child without asthma incurs in medical expenses. Hospital records show that asthma ranks third as the main cause for children under the age of 15 to be hospitalized. Unfortunately, because these children come from low-income homes, they also do not have primary health insurance. Parents who have children with pediatric asthma loose a total of approximately $720 million dollars each year. Children with pediatric asthma have an economic impact of around $1994 million each year.