Now, run in place for a minute. Remember you're only breathing through the straw. Basically that is what happens in an asthma attack. Your air passages get so small it feels like you are breathing through a straw. Syracuse is one of the asthma capitals of the world.
Boys tend to get asthma more than girls, with girls catching up by the sixth grade.
The poor tend to have asthma more. It can be hereditary. Allergies can accompany asthma, but not always. Allergic rhinitis can be a precursor. Researchers aren't sure.