Respiratory tract complications in young children always warrant an immediate visit to the family doctor, and sometimes even hospitalisation.

It is a well-known fact that virus infections and crèche visits contribute to the existence of these complications. The WHISTLER Study, research conducted at the UMC Utrecht, has proven that the predisposition of the lungs at the time of birth play are a big part of the cause.
The results suggest that the predisposition of the lungs during pregnancy play an important role in the development of chronic lung disease at a later age, diseases such as asthma and COPD. In this research the lung function of 836 newly born babies was measured using a specially designed technique. Subsequently, their health data was recorded during the entire year.
Some of the babies displayed problems from impaired airways directly after birth. These children often suffered from complaints such as coughing and wheezing in their first year of life. The parents of these children made much more frequent trips to the doctor with their children, and the child’s need for medicine against respiratory complications was evident.
“The results emphasise the importance of a healthy pregnancy to ensure the life long health of the child”, concluded the head of research, paediatric lung doctor, professor Dr. Kors van der Ent, from the UMC Utrecht.
In previous research conducted by the UMC Utrecht, it is evident that the lung function of children born from mothers who spent time in smoke-filled environments is also greatly impaired. Also evident, is the fact that male new-borns seemed to have worse lung capacity than female new-borns.
Source: vakbladkraamzorg.nl