Inhaled Therapy for Small Children, are our Current Inhalation Devices Suitable for Them? – Summary of the Morning Symposium

Wilbur de Kruijf

Medspray BV, on behalf of COST Action SimInhale

European Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST) Actions are science and technology networks that focus on a specific, common research subject. The COST Action MP1404—Simulation & Pharmaceutical Technologies for Advanced Patient-Tailored Inhaled Medicines (Siminhale), has as a  main objective to create and maintain a pan-European multidisciplinary scientific network to enhance research and development with the aim of improving efficiency, safety and convenience of inhaled medicines. Work Group 2 of SimInhale, chaired by Sitaram Velaga and Wilbur de Kruijf, has a focus on inhalation devices.

The December 5 morning symposium at DDL 2017 consists of four lectures, each with a different angle on the subject of inhalation therapy and devices for small children.

Wim Vos from FluidDA in Antwerp, Belgium is showing 3D images that illustrate the dramatic changes in the geometry of the airways from newborn to adult. The volume of the lungs changes drastically when growing up, as do the local diameters of the airway. Also the tidal volume of inhalation is much less for small children. Apart from that, small children and babies are obligatory nose breathers, which makes delivery of medication to the lungs a real challenge.