Changing seasons, respiratory diseases 'attack' children

(Baonghean.vn) - During the changing seasons, bacteria and viruses thrive, making children susceptible to respiratory diseases. In the past 4 days, the number of children coming to the Nghe An Obstetrics and Pediatrics Hospital for examination and treatment has increased dramatically.

At Nghe An Obstetrics and Pediatrics Hospital, every day more than 200 children are admitted for examination and hospitalization, of which 50% have respiratory diseases.

Dr. Bui Anh Son - Head of Respiratory Department, Nghe An Obstetrics and Pediatrics Hospital examines a patient.

Master. Doctor Bui Anh Son - Head of the Respiratory Department said: "The weather changes, bacteria and viruses develop, so children are susceptible to respiratory diseases. From the beginning of October to November 4, there were 748 patients treated at the department. In the last 4 days alone, there were 236 patients, of which the number of severe patients was up to 22 cases.

The department is mainly for seriously ill patients transferred from lower levels. The rate of children coming for examination and treatment has increased dramatically compared to normal times. The number of beds in the department is currently only 55, so it is often overloaded. We have to add more beds in the hallway to accommodate the patients."

At the Respiratory Department of the Obstetrics and Pediatrics Hospital, extra beds had to be placed in the hallway for patients to lie on.

Ms. Le Thi Mai - mother of 8-month-old Tran Thi Phuong (Nghi Thai commune, Nghi Loc district) said: "At home, she had a runny nose, sneezing, fever, refused to eat or drink anything, and was fussy. I went to the pharmacy to buy medicine for her for two consecutive days but it did not help, so I decided to take her to the hospital. The doctor diagnosed her with acute bronchitis. After more than a day of treatment at the hospital, she improved a lot. Now, she can eat and sleep."

According to Dr. Son, respiratory diseases that children suffer from are mainly bronchitis, pneumonia, bronchiolitis, etc. For newborns and low birth weight babies, treatment is more difficult and persistent. Of the total number of children coming for examination, more than 50% have diseases related to the respiratory tract, pneumonia, etc. In particular, pneumonia in young children progresses very quickly, so doctors require parents to closely monitor the disease progression for outpatients, especially children under 6 months old.

How to prevent diseases for children

Master. Doctor Bui Anh Son recommends that parents should not worry too much, but take good care of their children to prevent diseases during the changing seasons.

Illustration photo.

To prevent diseases for children when the weather changes, it is necessary to fully vaccinate children, avoid contact with sick people. Give children enough nutritious food. Food must be warmed before feeding children, supplement water and fruit juice, keep the body clean, avoid catching a cold due to children being hot and sweating. In particular, when going out, you should wear a mask for children, avoid inhaling the source of disease through the respiratory tract.

When detecting abnormal symptoms in children such as: skipping meals, unclear fever, vomiting, poor sleep, sneezing, runny nose, parents should take their children to the hospital for examination and treatment according to the doctor's schedule, should not treat diseases on the internet to waste money and suffer from illness. Absolutely do not use charcoal or charcoal stoves to warm children because of the risk of causing respiratory infections, severe cases can cause suffocation, endangering the life of children. Absolutely do not buy medicine outside of treatment without a doctor's prescription.

Nowadays, many mothers, whenever their children sneeze or have a runny nose, go to the pharmacy to buy antibiotics for their children without a doctor's prescription. Even when their children have a common fever due to teething or a change in the weather, many mothers still "carelessly" buy antibiotics at the pharmacy for their children to take. This action of parents is very dangerous, causing the child's illness to last longer, making treatment difficult later, and increasing the risk and cost many times more.

Thu Hien