Leo closed his eyes. He took a slow breath. At first, his chest rose, but Grandpa placed a hand gently on Leo’s stomach. "Send the air down here," he encouraged.
He guided Leo to lie flat on his back. "Imagine your belly is a big, colorful balloon," Grandpa said softly. "When you breathe in through your nose, don't let your chest move. Instead, try to blow up that balloon in your stomach." abdominal breathing
Leo sat on the edge of his bed, his heart drumming against his ribs like a trapped bird. Tomorrow was the big spelling bee, and every time he thought of the word "encyclopedia," his throat felt tight and his breaths became short, shallow gasps in his upper chest. Leo closed his eyes
"I can't catch my breath," Leo whispered. "My chest feels like it’s full of rocks." "Send the air down here," he encouraged