Cold diseases hit children hard this winter

Winter has been gripping the entire country, including the capital Dhaka, since the beginning of Bengali month Paush. As a result, children and the elderly are being hit hard by cold-related diseases. According to doctors, children are suffering from various diseases including diarrhea, fever, sneezing, cough, and respiratory problems in winter.

The pressure of child patients is increasing in government hospitals including Dhaka Medical College Hospital and Bangladesh Children's Health Institute in the capital.

Former Director of the Child Health Institute Dr. Syed Shafi Ahmed Muaz said that the record of the last 24 hours shows that 18 children have received treatment in the outdoor department of the institute. Of these, 210 have received treatment in the emergency department and 600 in the medicine department. Among these children, 72 are suffering from pneumonia, 135 are suffering from common cold-related diseases, 18 are suffering from asthma, 144 are suffering from scabies, and 221 are suffering from diarrhea.

Dr. Muaz emphasized the need for guardians to be vigilant and said that due to the cold wave, many children are coming from different districts and upazilas of the country for treatment. Currently, 47 patients with pneumonia are admitted to the hospital. Of these, 7 have been admitted in the last 24 hours and 83 in the last 12 days.

He said, "We have 680 beds. More than 100 patients are coming every day. So many patients are coming that we cannot accommodate them, so many patients are leaving."

He emphasized on taking special care of children in this situation. He said that children should always be kept clean. He also advised not to go out with children unnecessarily. "Children who are going to school should wear clean, warm clothes for winter and wear masks if necessary."

He further said that children should be taught to maintain personal hygiene. They must wash their hands before eating. He advised not to send very sick children to school. He also advised not to take antibiotics from the pharmacy without consulting a doctor.

This pediatrician also said, "Sometimes diarrhea can also cause death. Therefore, as soon as your child shows symptoms of diarrhea, give them saline food. If you feed a child with diarrhea saline according to the rules, the patient will gradually recover. If there is blood in the stool, fever, abdominal pain and vomiting, the patient is given antibiotics.' In this case, he also advised to go to a doctor quickly.

Dr. Muaz said that patients with high blood pressure are confused about taking Orsaline when they have diarrhea, fearing that their blood pressure will increase. Again, Orsaline contains sugar or glucose, so diabetic patients are afraid to eat it.

He said that it is the right decision not to bring these things to mind when they have diarrhea. Orsaline should be continued for any problem. The actual rule for making saline is to mix a handful of jaggery and a pinch of salt in half a liter of water. In the case of making packet Orsaline in the market, the entire medicine in the packet has to be made into saline by mixing half a liter of water.'

He said that not only in winter, but now children are also affected by air pollution. Fever-cold-cough are causing irritation in the throat. Bronchiolitis is occurring in children under two years of age and pneumonia in children over two years of age. Those who have asthma are at risk of worsening it in winter.

Stating that breastfeeding is very important for children under six months of age, he said, exclusive breastfeeding reduces health risks to a great extent. Vaccinations should be given on time. For children with low immunity, weak nature, and those who have frequent or recurrent pneumonia, getting the influenza vaccine every year in addition to the official vaccine will reduce the risk of pneumonia.