Asthma is a chronic condition in which the airways become narrow and swollen, causing excess mucus production. This makes breathing difficult, triggers coughing, wheezing (a whistling or rattling sound in the chest), and shortness of breath.

There is no scientifically proven cause for asthma. However, research has shown that certain genetic factors & some of the following increase a person’s risk of having asthma:

Family history of allergic reactions
Your genetic makeup passed down from your parents can predispose you to having asthma. A report by the Center for Diseases Control (CDC) states that: “if a person has a parent with asthma, they are 3 to 6 times more likely to develop asthma than someone who does not have a parent with asthma.”

Personal history of Hay fever
Hay fever is a medical condition caused by allergy to substances breathed in the air. Asthma and hay fever are related health conditions. People with hay fever have a higher chance of going on to develop asthma than people without hay fever.

Viral respiratory infection during childhood
Infections like respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) or bronchiolitis cause inflammation and damage to still-developing lung tissue during infancy and early childhood.

Exposure to cigarette smoke
Mothers who smoke while pregnant increase their baby’s risk of asthma. Research has shown that mothers who smoke during pregnancy may cause asthma & wheeze in children during infancy. This also includes children whose moms did not smoke till late pregnancy or after birth.

Exposure to air pollution
Babies and children have a faster breathing rate and therefore take in more irritants, causing damage to still-developing lung tissue.