Asthma in children caused by exhaust fumes

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Posted on 03/09/2019 in Current Affairs

At one in five children with asthma in the Netherlands, the disease is related to air pollution from traffic. In no other European country is this number so high, writes the Algemeen Dagblad on September 10th.* Asthma is the most common chronic disease among children in our country. According to the Longfonds, approximately 100,000 children up to the age of fourteen have asthma. Children are exposed to air pollution day in, day out. About 11,000 Dutch people die annually from the effects of air pollution.

Specialists Sound the Alarm
'The government must do more to protect children from this,' says director Michael Rutgers of the Lung Fund. Together with lung and pediatricians, healthcare providers, and scientists, he sounds the alarm and collectively they present a petition in The Hague this week due to the extremely poor air quality in the Netherlands. In addition to traffic, industries, livestock farming, and for example wood stoves contribute to the emission of harmful nitrogen dioxide and particulate matter.

Silent Killer
Pulmonologist Hans in 't Veld sees the effects of air pollution daily in his practice. 'Nitrogen dioxide is truly a silent killer. You can't see it, you don't notice it, but it does cause inflammation in the airways. Asthma often develops in childhood. I see children who struggle to breathe during sports, children who can't play outside, or don't know how to get through New Year's Eve. Clean air can prevent so much suffering.'

Clean Air Agreement
State Secretary Stientje van Veldhoven (Infrastructure and Water Management) is working on a Clean Air Agreement, with the aim of achieving a 50% health benefit by 2030 compared to 2016. 'This must and can be done faster,' say the petitioners, 'and the central government must take the lead in this. But consumers can also make choices and thus contribute to solving the problem.'

Improving Quality of Life
Does your child suffer from chronic asthmatic symptoms or do you experience them yourself? In addition to conventional treatment (the familiar inhaler), acupuncture can help reduce symptoms and make daily life more pleasant. The number of treatments needed depends on the nature and severity of the symptoms. Look at the top of the page under 'find an acupuncturist' to locate a well-trained NVA acupuncturist near you. And schedule an appointment.

Acupuncture for Breathing Problems
Our airways are an important part of our immune system. They are in direct contact with the outside world. If our immune system is not functioning properly or the overload (for example, due to air pollution) becomes too great, we become more susceptible to diseases. An acupuncture treatment for respiratory problems strengthens the immune system, provides relaxation in the airways and chest, and reduces mucus production. Read more below.

* Source: AD, 10-09-2019