Successful PhD defense of PedResp group member Daphne Peeters
On January 17, 2025, paediatrician in training and PhD candidate Daphne Peeters successfully defended her PhD “Recurrent respiratory tract infections in children: epidemiology, treatment and parents’ perceptions”.
Through her research, she found that most children with recurrent respiratory tract infections do not have an underlying condition that explains their symptoms. Additionally, there is currently no gold standard for the treatment of recurrent respiratory infections in children.
Together with principal investigators Dr. Lilly Verhagen and Prof. dr. Gertjan Driessen, she initiated the Approach study.
Her research also focused on groups of children at higher risk of severe disease progression, particularly children with Down syndrome and those admitted to the intensive care with severe lower respiratory tract infections. Furthermore, she examined the role and perspectives of parents. Her findings suggest that parents assess their child’s condition based on different characteristics than healthcare professionals do.
Additionally, parents expressed a need for clearer and more concrete information when their child experiences a respiratory infection, including details on specific symptoms, expected progression, and when or how to seek medical help.
Want to read more? The dissertation is available at:
