Creative Commons License

Connecticut Children's Medical Center in Hartford. Credit: Tyler Russell / Connecticut Public

Yes.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 40% of school-aged children and adolescents in the United States have at least one chronic health condition such as asthma, obesity, physical conditions, or behavior and learning problems.  

This data highlights that chronic health issues are common among young people and can range from respiratory illnesses to weight-related and developmental disorders.

Chronic conditions in children often require ongoing management, including daily care routines and readiness for emergencies. Schools play a critical role by providing health services that help students stay healthy and ready to learn. These services may include asthma action plans, medication administration, and coordination with families and health care providers. This support helps students stay healthy, attend school regularly and do well in class.

This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.

CT Mirror partners with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims.

Sources

Reginald David is the Community Engagement Reporter for CT Mirror. He builds relationships across Connecticut to elevate community voices and deepen public dialogue around local issues. Previously, he was a producer at KCUR 89.3, Kansas City’s NPR station, where he created community-centered programming, led live event coverage for major events like the NFL Draft, the Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl Parade, and Royals Opening Day, and launched KC Soundcheck, a music series spotlighting local and national artists. Reginald has also hosted special segments, including an in-depth interview with civil rights leader Alvin Brooks and live community coverage on issues like racial segregation and neighborhood development. He began his public media career as an ‘Integrity in News’ intern at WNPR in Hartford.