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THE FOXFIT APP HELPS CHILDREN WITH ASTHMA TO MOVE WITH PLEASURE

What is the purpose of our research?
The aim of the Simba research is to make children with asthma move with pleasure and confidence. If you enjoy doing something, you will quickly do that more often. That is why we have created the Foxfit app together with children with asthma, which they use to learn how to exercise more in a fun way.

Why is our research important?
Many children with asthma move too little, for example because they are afraid of stuffiness, while moving is very important for them. It can reduce asthma symptoms, so that they can better participate with their peers, for example on the playground and with children’s parties.

There are already many ways to help children exercise more, but these are often not aimed at children with asthma or, on the contrary, are very much aimed at ‘being sick’. Children often do not use it because it does not match what they need or because they do not like it.

In order to create something that is fun and really useful, we in the Simba study work together with children with asthma. We asked these children what they think helps themselves to move more if you have asthma. We also asked this question to their parents and caregivers.

What does the research yield?
We have built the Foxfit app based on all the answers. Several children with asthma and caregivers have tested the first version of the app. With their advice, we have made our exercise app even more convenient, fun and beautiful.

In the app, a fox travels with his rocket to different planets. The children wear a movement meter that keeps track of how much and how fast they move. For movement they get points with which the fox can reach the planet with his rocket. The children also get ideas for fun activities and they get playful tips about asthma, exercise and medicine.

A caregiver, such as a nurse or physical therapist, guides the children while using the app. On a secure Foxfit website, the caregiver can see how much the children have moved and how they felt. In this way the caregivers can easily see whether the children are less moved by asthma complaints. Together with the child, caregivers also set personal goals and hand out trophies to reward the child. The child sees these trophies in the prize cabinet of the app.

How is the research conducted?
Fifteen children and their caregivers tested Foxfit for seven weeks. The children are very enthusiastic. They like using the app to use and move with pleasure. The health care providers also see many benefits of Foxfit. We have now mainly tested the user-friendliness of the app so that Foxfit can be used in practice. The first results of our research are positive. We hope that many children with asthma will take a space trip with Foxfit and learn in this way that exercise can also be fun with asthma.

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