The High Burden of Acute Respiratory Illness in Dutch Households with Young Children

Abstract

Abstract Introduction Acute respiratory infections cause significant mortality and morbidity worldwide, specifically in young children. This observational prospective longitudinal household study examined the burden of acute respiratory infections in Dutch households with young children. Methods This study enrolled households in and around Utrecht, consisting of two parents, at least one infant younger than 6 months, and at least one child younger than 4 years old. From October 2024 through April 2025, participants completed questionnaires about the presence, nature, severity, and onset of respiratory symptoms, the presence of fever and earache, and healthcare utilization. Results 152 participants from 36 households were included. Infants and children younger than 4 years experienced significantly more episodes (7.4 and 6.3 episodes on average, respectively) than their parents (4.2 episodes, p<0.001) and older siblings (3.2 episodes, p<0.001 and p=0.016). Their episodes also lasted significantly longer (mean duration of 13.2 and 13.1 days, respectively), compared to their parents (10.1 days, p<0.001). There were significantly more episodes with fever among these age groups (69/275, 25.1% and 39/234, 16.7%, respectively), compared to their parents (27/305, 8.5%, p<0.001 and p=0.004). Infants visited the general practitioner most frequently. Infants born in September had 117% (OR=2.17, 95%-CI: 1.37–3.45, p<0.001) and 64% (OR=1.64, 95%-CI: 1.22–2.22, p=0.001) higher odds of having an episode compared to infants born in April and July. Discussion The burden of acute respiratory illnesses within households with young children is high, and effective prevention strategies to reduce this burden are required, focusing on vulnerable populations such as infants.