By Dr. Enemi Isichei
A few days ago, while returning home from work I felt like the air conditioning in the car was faulty. Looking at the ambient temperature on the dashboard, it was 40⁰C outside, little wonder I was still uncomfortable while the air conditioner was on. The next morning, the air was cool with the temperature reading 27⁰C and it felt like there would be a downpour in a few hours.
Although I was looking forward to the rain (which didn’t fall on that day), I am concerned about the impact of the variation in the weather on the most vulnerable members of our society- children. It is no news that global climate change is affecting our health and well-being.
Children are more susceptible not only because their immune systems are underdeveloped compared to adults but also because their large body surface area makes them lose fluid easily in extremes of temperature. Furthermore, certain diseases tend to be more prevalent in both the hot and cold seasons, thus there is a need for parents and caregivers to be informed on how to care for their children to maintain their optimal health.
During the hot weather, there is an increased risk of food poisoning and diarrhoea disease because bacteria in food thrive better in the heat, mosquitoes become very active as they bite more and rodents tend to have prolonged survival, especially the multimammate rat which causes Lassa fever –a viral haemorrhagic disease characterized by fever, generalised body weakness and bleeding from the body orifices.
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In addition, children easily have allergies presenting as different forms of skin rashes, conjunctivitis (popularly called “Apollo”) and respiratory diseases. On the other hand, our little humans are still not spared as cough, cold and flu including pneumonia are predominant illnesses that affect them in the rainy season. Again, mosquitoes lay more eggs during this period, increasing in number because they are cold-blooded and the presence of stagnant water favours their reproduction.
Now to the crux of the matter, what can you do to keep your child healthy and safe? Prevention is better than cure is an old proverb that has stood the test of time as it holds up to this day.
Bearing in mind that kids will always be kids and want to play outside irrespective of the weather, it behoves parents to ensure that in the hot seasons, children are well hydrated (drinking lots of water), wear light clothes, take cool showers and should never be left in hot vehicles to avoid death from heat stroke.
Foods should always be covered to obviate contamination with leftover foods stored in the refrigerator and properly reheated before eating. Ensuring good hand hygiene by regular handwashing after play, before and after meals also reduces the spread of germs which causes infection.
Keeping the surroundings clean and free from stale water and dirt piles would not only prevent malaria but also Lassa fever caused by contact with urine or faeces of the mastomys rat. Children need to be taught cough etiquette to decrease the transmission of respiratory illness.
Finally, giving children a healthy diet with lots of fruits and vegetables helps to boost their immune system, protecting them from illnesses. Now you know, you can do better!
