Extreme fall in mercury: A greater health threat to children, infants

ISLAMABAD: Extreme fall in mercury and the chilly weather conditions after a spell of rainfall in this region of the country along with snowfall in neighbouring mountainous regions may pose greater health threats to children and infants as the public and private healthcare facilities have already been receiving a significant heavy influx of child patients with winter-related respiratory tract infections.

Most of the child cases reaching healthcare facilities in the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi are with upper respiratory tract infections while those admitted to the hospitals are with complaints of lower respiratory tract infections including pneumonia and according to health experts, the fall in mercury may cause a further increase in the number of child cases with RTIs.

The extreme cold has put children and infants at greater risk of contracting serious health threats like pneumonia and it is time to make parents aware of how to prevent children and infants from RTIs, said President Pakistan Paediatrics Association Federal Branch Professor Dr. Tariq Saeed Sheikh while talking to ‘The News’ on Saturday.

Apart from avoiding children and infants from cold, they must be kept in a clean environment, he said. Wet clothes of children and infants should be removed immediately and adults with complaints of flu and cold should take extra care while handling children. Infants and children must be kept warm, he said.

The majority of the child patients being presented to the healthcare facilities in the region with upper tract infections are of sore throat or flu while in the case of lower tract infections, most of the patients are with pneumonia. Parents must be aware of the fact that by keeping the environment of rooms clean, children and infants can be safeguarded from pneumonia and other RTIs, he said.

He added the most important thing to avoid pneumonia and complications of RTIs is that children below five years of age must be administered pneumococcal vaccine that provides major cover against pneumonia and haemophilus influenzae type B (HIB) vaccine which are available under Expanded Programme on Immunization. Both vaccines are available at almost all public sector hospitals in the region free of cost.

Overcrowding in a room contaminates the environment if the room is not properly ventilated. Overcrowding must be avoided and the rooms in which children and infants are kept should have proper ventilation system and should be in access of sunlight, he said.

Dr. Tariq said that parents should provide protection to children and infants against cold and allergic agents. Infants who are breastfed have the least chance of getting RTIs. Children should be given a healthy diet in winter containing fresh fruits, milk, eggs and meat products because malnourished children are more prone to get seasonal infections in winter, he said.

He said the school-going children should not be allowed to consume ice cream, cold drinks and other cold dishes instead they should be given green tea with honey. Both infants and school-going children should be protected from all types of smoke that contain a greater number of allergens, said Dr. Tariq.