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Thursday, Jul 2, 2026

Do over 40% of U.S. children have at least one chronic health condition?


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.

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Fact briefs are bite-sized, well-sourced explanations that offer clear "yes" or "no" answers to questions, confusions, and unsupported claims circulating online. They rely on publicly available data and documents, often from the original source. Fact briefs are written and published by newsrooms in the Gigafact network.

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