CDC Report: 1 in 8 New York City Kids Have Asthma
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) -- A new report shows that one in eight New York City children have been diagnosed with asthma, making childhood asthma rates in the city higher than the national average.
According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, about 7 million children across the country suffer from asthma, averaging about one in ten.
The New York City Health Department says poor New York City children are especially vulnerable.
In East Harlem, children are 13 times more likely to go to the emergency room because of asthma than those on the Upper East Side.
The report found that 177,000 children 12 years and younger were diagnosed with asthma at some point in their lives.
The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday that the numbers are based on a 2009 survey. It says it's the first time the agency has estimated the number of children suffering from the respiratory disease.
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