A new report shows that one in eight New York City children has been diagnosed with asthma.
That's worse than the national rate, which is about 1 in 10.
The New York City Health Department says poor 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.
Local
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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Copyright AP - Associated Press
