Asthma can be hard to predict. It can develop in young children and stay with them their entire lives. But some people don't develop asthma until they are adults.
In some people, asthma symptoms don’t appear until they are exposed to a trigger such as smoke or pollen. Their immune system views these triggers as foreign substances and releases chemicals to combat them. For people with asthma, those chemicals can cause an asthma attack – meaning their airways tighten up, they have difficulty breathing and they may experience coughing or wheezing.
But if you have asthma, don’t let the fear of an asthma attack hold you back! An allergist can identify your triggers, then create a plan to help you avoid and manage them.