The number of patients with flu, fever and cold-related diseases is increasing amid the bone-chilling cold in winter. Most of the patients are children as they have less immunity and tolerance level than adults.
Doctors said that more children become sick in winter than any other seasons. So, the parents should be extra careful about their kids, they added.
It was learnt that at least 100 to 150 patients come to the outdoor department of Dhaka Shishu (Children) Hospital every day with several ailments. It is the largest children hospital in the country.
However, the number of pediatric patients at the hospital has doubled with the onset of winter. Most of the children are suffering from cold, coughs, pneumonia and various other cold-related diseases including shortness of breath, hospital sources said.
After visiting several other hospitals in the city it has been learnt that many parents come to the hospitals with their children who were suffering from cold, fever, cough, pneumonia, shortness of breath and diarrhea.
Doctors said the dry weather in winter increases the amount of germs in the air. Due to this, children are getting more infected with viral diseases. If the temperature falls further, the situation will worsen.
Dr. Mohammed Rizwanul Ahsan Bipul, assistant professor of the Dhaka Shishu Hospital (DSH), said that the children can be infected with germs very easily in winter. So, parents and guardians should be more careful about this matter.
The doctors and nurses of Shishu Hospital have been struggling to cope with the large number of kids patients for last few days, he added.
Dr. Iffat Ara Shamsad, (Paediatrics) Professor of Dhaka Medical College Hospital told the Bangladesh post, “Many children are coming to the hospital with various problems including cold-related diseases. When a child comes to the hospital, the most important thing for us is to save his/her life. So we start treating them first.”
However, the expert doctors advised parents not to take the kids out during the winter season and coronavirus pandemic unless it’s an emergency. They also suggested all to wear masks when they go out.
According to the meteorological office, a mild cold wave is prevailing in the northeast of the country. In the meantime, the harsh winter has disrupted the regular lifestyle. Children are suffering the most due to the excessive cold.
