In the Netherlands, 20% of toddlers have asthma, and 7-10% of children of primary school age. In half of these primary school children, these complaints disappear during puberty (National Public Health Compass, June 13, 2014. RIVM Bilthoven). Asthma affects boys twice as often as girls. Asthma is the most common chronic disease among Dutch children. The word asthma comes from the Greek word asthma, which means suffocation. Asthma in children is a serious problem. In asthma, the airways are extremely sensitive to stimuli and almost constantly inflamed (without viruses or bacteria, but with swelling, muscle tension and increased mucus production).

The respiration

A person takes approximately 20,000 breaths per day. This is because a person needs 10,000 liters of air per day. Something goes wrong here in asthma patients. They have hyperreactivity of the airways. Asthma patients cost the Dutch healthcare system a lot of money, which is why the government wants these patients to remain under treatment by their GP for as long as possible. This is to save costs. Asthma largely has a hereditary component. If one of the parents suffers from asthma, there is a greater chance that one of the children will also develop it. Asthma in children can be recognized by wheezing and frequent coughing, often with mucus.

General guidelines for children with asthma:

• Do not smoke near children or in places they frequent. So not in the house or in the car.
• Provide sufficient fresh air by ventilating regularly and keeping the grilles open and clean.
• Clean regularly, especially in the child’s bedroom. Ensure that the floors are as smooth as possible.
• Ensure that the child comes into contact as little as possible with substances to which he or she is allergic.
• Let the child play and exercise outside a lot. Exercise can trigger an asthma attack, but good physical fitness is very important for asthma patients. If the child continues to have problems with movement, pediatric physiotherapy can sometimes provide help.
• Pay attention to the diet and let the child eat little sweets. Overweight children are more likely to develop asthma.
• Avoid soda. According to researchers from the University of Adelaide, consuming soft drinks increases the risk of asthma and COPD.
• Avoid stimuli. For example, it may be better to get rid of a pet or no longer wear a certain type of perfume. Try to be alert to stimuli that seem to provoke an attack.
• Sunlight has a positive influence on asthma patients. Lots of playing outside and holidays in the warm south, but extra vitamin D also helps to prevent asthma, according to researchers from Valencia.

Asthma and paracetamol

Spanish research (2012) among 20,000 children and young people shows a relationship between asthmatic complaints in children and the use of paracetamol. It is not clear how the complaints are related, but children who had used paracetamol during their first year of life had asthmatic complaints twice as often as children who did not use paracetamol. The use of paracetamol also increased the risk of asthma in older children and young people.

Asthma and nutrition

• Ginger helps in faster healing of infections of the lungs and respiratory tract.
• Furthermore, it has been shown that Turmeric has a positive effect on asthma patients. Turmeric reduces the amount of mucus in the airways.
• Vitamins such as Vitamin B6, B12 and C increase resistance and reduce inflammation, also in the lungs.
• Traditionally, honey has also been attributed with lung-purifying qualities. Honey is said to be beneficial for pollen allergies and asthma. Children under one year of age should not have honey due to the possible presence of the bacterium Clostridium Botulinum in honey.
• Magnesium facilitates the expansion of the bronchi and thus prevents cramps. Magnesium also has a positive influence on breathing.
• According to research, milk consumption appears to have a negative effect on asthma. Milk increases mucus production and therefore worsens attacks.

The future for asthma patients

Dutch researchers expect that there will be a vaccine against asthma around 2022/2024. This is because Dutch scientists from Leiden, Amsterdam and Rotterdam have discovered that certain substances can manipulate body cells in such a way that they no longer respond to allergic stimuli. We want to design vaccine molecules in which the allergic substance is combined with the inhibitory substance that affects the gatekeepers. If it turns out in the lab that they work well, then we are closer to a real vaccine, says Hermelijn Smits of the LUMC in Leiden. If this is indeed the case, this is good news for asthma patients in the future.