Asthma is a disease that affects your lungs. It is a chronic disease, which means that it is with you all the time, but you only have problems or asthma attacks when something bothers your lungs. Even when you are not having any asthma signs or symptoms, your asthma is affecting your lungs. These changes are small so you don't notice them. Your airways are always a little swollen, or inflamed. When something bothers your lungs, you might have an asthma attack.

During an asthma attack three things happen:

1. The airways get squeezed a little.

2. The insides of the airways swell up. Doctors say there is inflammation in the airways.

3. The insides of the airways make too much mucus.

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There are several steps for handling an attack. The order in which you do these things depends on your situation and whether you have your medicine with you or need to send someone to get the medicine.

1. Take asthma rescue medicine right away.

2. Relax. Sit down somewhere away from the thing(s) that started the attack.

3. Breathe slowly to help relax.

4. Tell a grown-up or ask a friend to tell a grown-up.

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