Thank you very much for your kind words. We really appreciate it! :-)

Many young children (and adults) find it difficult to perform the manoeuvres required for spirometry and reach the end-of-test requirements. While most children from the age of 6 can often perform acceptable spirometry, around 70-80% aged 2-5 are also able to achieve reproducible efforts if the standard (adult) guidelines are modified. You can read the spirometry guidelines for more info.

Wrong, and don't offer such ignorant and false medical advice online. Oh, the causes of an asthma attack can range from exposure to allergens, cold air, physical exertion.

@@PPA-vl3cu Bronchial asthma appears in those lungs, which are hyperventilated. Minute ventilation rates for asthma: McFadden ER Jr, Lyons HA. Arterial-blood gas tension in asthma. N Engl J Med. 1968 May 9;278(19):1027-32. doi: 10.1056/NEJM196805092781901. PMID: 5644962. Kassabian J, Miller KD, Lavietes MH. Respiratory center output and ventilatory timing in patients with acute airway (asthma) and alveolar (pneumonia) disease. Chest. 1982 May;81(5):536-43. doi: 10.1378/chest.81.5.536. PMID: 7075273. Bowler SD, Green A, Mitchell CA. Buteyko breathing techniques in asthma: a blinded randomised controlled trial. Med J Aust. 1998 Dec 7-21;169(11-12):575-8. doi: 10.5694/j.1326-5377.1998.tb123422.x. PMID: 9887897. Johnson BD, Scanlon PD, Beck KC. Regulation of ventilatory capacity during exercise in asthmatics. J Appl Physiol (1985). 1995 Sep;79(3):892-901. doi: 10.1152/jappl.1995.79.3.892. PMID: 8567533. Chalupa DC, Morrow PE, Oberdörster G, Utell MJ, Frampton MW. Ultrafine particle deposition in subjects with asthma. Environ Health Perspect. 2004 Jun;112(8):879-82. doi: 10.1289/ehp.6851. PMID: 15175176; PMCID: PMC1242016.

@@PPA-vl3cu Letter About Asthma by K.P. Buteyko MD-PhD: Two hundred years ago asthma was considered a mild ailment. Having asthma generally meant having a long life free of other diseases. However, no one could explain how asthma prevented other ailments or why asthmatics lived longer than others. Today, we know that asthma is not an ordinary disease. Bronchospasm, the main component of asthma, acts as a protective mechanism, helping to maintain biological constants and important functions at near-normal levels. We have also learned that asthma or bronchospasm cannot exist unless the Carbon Dioxide (CO2) level in the lungs is abnormally low. Since the metabolic and immune systems can function correctly only if the CO2 level is normal, the limit of the asthmatic's CO2 level protects him or her and allows for a long and healthy life. It is this powerful defense mechanism that provides the asthmatic with an improved biological system. Evidently, bronchospasm is one way the organism has adapted to its environment. Modern drug treatment for asthma is aimed at neutralizing this protective mechanism. The organism then fights back again and again with more intensive bronchospasms leading to a rapid deterioration of asthma from drug treatment. It is not possible to cure asthma by removing a protective mechanism like bronchospasm. Only when the condition responsible for the bronchospasm is removed, can asthma be reversed.

@@PPA-vl3cu Bronchial asthma appears in those lungs, which are hyperventilated. Minute ventilation rates for asthma: McFadden ER Jr, Lyons HA. Arterial-blood gas tension in asthma. N Engl J Med. 1968 May 9;278(19):1027-32. doi: 10.1056/NEJM196805092781901. PMID: 5644962. Kassabian J, Miller KD, Lavietes MH. Respiratory center output and ventilatory timing in patients with acute airway (asthma) and alveolar (pneumonia) disease. Chest. 1982 May;81(5):536-43. doi: 10.1378/chest.81.5.536. PMID: 7075273. Bowler SD, Green A, Mitchell CA. Buteyko breathing techniques in asthma: a blinded randomised controlled trial. Med J Aust. 1998 Dec 7-21;169(11-12):575-8. doi: 10.5694/j.1326-5377.1998.tb123422.x. PMID: 9887897. Johnson BD, Scanlon PD, Beck KC. Regulation of ventilatory capacity during exercise in asthmatics. J Appl Physiol (1985). 1995 Sep;79(3):892-901. doi: 10.1152/jappl.1995.79.3.892. PMID: 8567533. Chalupa DC, Morrow PE, Oberdörster G, Utell MJ, Frampton MW. Ultrafine particle deposition in subjects with asthma. Environ Health Perspect. 2004 Jun;112(8):879-82. doi: 10.1289/ehp.6851. PMID: 15175176; PMCID: PMC1242016.

@@PPA-vl3cu Clinical trial conducted at the Mater Hospital, Brisbane, Australia Buteyko breathing techniques in asthma: a blinded randomised controlled trial. Simon D Bowler, Amanda Green and Charles A Mitchell - The study was carried out from January 1995 to April 1995. - This study uses the gold standard of trials (blinded randomised controlled trial). - The asthma patients were taught Buteyko the proper way, by actual Buteyko instructors. - Quite a large group of asthma patients were taught. Buteyko group: Respiration after 3 months (l/min): 9,6 Bronchodilators after 3 months: 96% less Inhaled steroids after 3 months: 49% less Reduction of symptom scores after 3 months: 71% After 6 weeks quality of life for the Buteyko group improved with 54% Control group: Respiration after 3 months (l/min): 13,3 Bronchodilators after 3 months: 7% less Inhaled steroids after 3 months: remained the same Reduction of symptom scores after 3 months: 14% Additional results from the trial: 1: Asthma patients have lower CO2 values than the normal population The study showed a big difference between end-tidal CO2 values of asthma patients and people without asthma: the normal group had an average end-tidal CO2 of 43 mmHg whereas the asthma patients had an average end-tidal Co2 of 34 mmHG. That's a big difference in CO2 levels which agrees with Professor Buteyko's claim that asthma is caused by low CO2 values. 2: Asthma patients breathe more than the normal population Minute breathing volume was higher in asthma patients than in the group of normal people (without asthma). This agrees with Professor Buteyko claim that overbreathing (hyperventilation) causes asthma. 3: Asthma patients who practice Buteyko need less medication as they become better at Buteyko The finding that the relative reduction in beta2-agonist medication was related to the proportionate reduction in minute volume with Buteyko is extremely meaningful. This really means that the more progress asthma patients make with Buteyko, the less medication they need. This is such an important finding that the title of the study could well have been: "Asthma patients who practice Buteyko Breathing need less medication as they become better at Buteyko"! 4: Buteyko does what it promises: change breathing habits and reduce disease symptoms The finding that Buteyko lowers the average minute breathing volume from 14 liter/min to 9.6 liters/min proves that Buteyko Breathing really does significantly change breathing habits. The finding that asthma symptoms went down by 71% proves that Buteyko does improve health and reduces chronic disease symptoms. So these two finding combined together in effect prove that Buteyko Breathing does do what it promises. 5: Buteyko reverts hyperventilation The finding that Buteyko lowers the average minute breathing volume from 14 liter/min to 9.6 liters/min is also a highly significant finding for people suffering from hyperventilation. Those suffering from hyperventilation can learn and practice Buteyko Breathing to reverse and improve their hyperventilation symptoms. The Buteyko group experienced a significant reduction in the need for reliever medication and steroids, along with a greater improvement in quality of life. If an "Asthma Pill" came on the market today that would achieve such results, it would be prescribed to all asthmatics tomorrow. On a side note: “The control group showed little change in medication and quality of life despite being taught the conventional breathing exercises (relaxation techniques and abdominal breathing exercises which did not involve hypoventilation) that continue to be the mainstay of treatment in hospitals and clinics. It is interesting to note that half the control group was later taught the Buteyko breathing exercises (exercises in which subjects reduced the depth and frequency of respiration) and the results from this group were consistent with earlier findings.” References: Buteyko breathing techniques in asthma: a blinded randomised controlled trial. (1998) Published: Medical Journal of Australia, 1998 Dec 7-21;169(11-12):575-8. By: Bowler SD, Green A, Mitchell CA. Self-Management of Asthma Through Normalisation of Breathing - The Role of Breathing Therapy by Tess Graham, Physiotherapist, Practitioner of the Buteyko Method Article Review "Buteyko breathing techniques in asthma: a blinded randomised controlled trial" by drs. Eduard Reuvers, 2017.