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The month of May is asthma awareness month. Asthma is one of the most common chronic illnesses in children and it causes many hospitalizations, missed school days, and trips to emergency departments. But what triggers asthma attacks in kids – and how can they be prevented?

In a 2011 NPCH Report, we asked parents of children with asthma from across the country what causes asthma flare-ups for their kids. Nearly 9 in 10 parents said that getting sick with a cold or the flu is an important case of asthma attacks in their children. Parents also rated allergies, air quality, and tobacco smoke as important factors.

But although many parents listed tobacco smoke as a cause of their children’s asthma attacks, almost half (44%) of parents with asthmatic kids said their child spends time with people who smoke. Often, the smoker is the asthmatic child’s parent. Read the full report - Tobacco: a smoking gun for kids' asthma attacks.

Limiting children’s exposure to tobacco smoke is an important way to reduce asthma flare-ups in kids. While catching a cold and being allergic to pollen are natural events that might trigger an attack, tobacco smoke exposure is based on other people’s behaviors and can be avoided.

More information about asthma is available from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at cdc.gov/asthma.