Too many children have it and too many are dying from asthma. We really need to get out there and educate the public about this epidemic. It is a disease that might one day be eradicated. Researchers at New York's Columbia University will be monitoring 600 pregnant women for the next two years. They want to know what kind of asthma triggers the women were exposed to and how their babies are affected.
Scientists hope to finally pinpoint when asthma begins and what causes it.
If we can understand what is triggering that initial change in the immune system that leads to the development of asthma then it would be possible in many instances, years down the line, to actually prevent asthma altogether. The big question is whether that improvement will arrive in time to help youngsters such as Tayvon Sanders and Mark Anthony Pena. If not, they face a future where just breathing can be a medical emergency. Pages will open in a new browser window External sites are not endorsed by CNN Interactive. All Rights Reserved.