Incidence of respiratory tract infections still on the rise among children, infants

Rawalpindi: The incidence of both upper and lower respiratory tract infections among children and infants in this region of the country is still on the rise despite a little rise in mercury level.Data collected by ‘The News’ on Tuesday has revealed that around 30 to 40 per cent of the total child patients being presented at the paediatrics department at Holy Family Hospital (HFH) are either with pneumonia or with upper RTIs including colds, flu or sore throat.Nearly 30 per cent of the total admissions in paediatrics department at the HFH are with respiratory tract problems that according to health experts can be controlled if parents take preventive measures in time. Significant number of child cases of allergy and asthmatic problems is also being reported at the HFH.On average, the paediatrics outpatient department at the HFH is receiving over 300 child patients daily of which 50 to 60 are with complaints of pneumonia while over 50 are with asthmatic problems or with respiratory tract problems.Nearly 200 child patients are undergoing treatment at the paeds ward of the HFH that after extension has a capacity of 211 beds. Most of the child cases being reported at the HFH with upper tract infections are of sore throat while of pneumonia in case of lower tract infections and these can be avoided by following simple precautionary measures by parents, said Associate Professor of Paediatrics at Rawalpindi Medical University and Incharge Paeds Department at the HFH Dr. Tariq Saeed while talking to ‘The News’ on Tuesday.He said parents must be aware of the fact that by keeping environment of rooms clean, children and infants can be safeguarded from pneumonia and other respiratory tract infections.Overcrowding in a room may contaminate the environment if the room is not properly ventilated. Also the rooms in which children and infants are kept should have proper ventilation system and should be in access of sunlight, he said.He added infants below six weeks of age must be administered pneumococal vaccine that is available at the allied hospitals under Expanded Programme on Immunization. The vaccine provides major cover against pneumonia, he said.It is important that three doses of pneumococal vaccine are administered to infants at the age of six weeks, 10 weeks and 14 weeks. Professor Tariq said that parents must provide protection to their children and infants against cold and allergic agents. The infants who are breastfed have least chances of getting respiratory tract infections, he said.He added that by giving healthy diet containing fresh fruits, milk, egg and meat products, children can be safeguarded from a number of infections because malnourished children are at greater risk of contracting ailments.It is also important to safeguard children from all types of smoke including smoke from motor vehicles or from tobacco as it is a major cause of asthmatic and respiratory tract problems, he said.

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