Children sleeping with stuffed toys, furry pets at risk


 Parents had better not let their children sleep with their favourite stuffed toy or furry pets, advise pulmonologists so that the children are protected from allergic rhinitis.
Rhinitis is a condition in which the inside of the nose becomes swollen or sore, caused by an infection or allergy.
Wide prevalence of allergic rhinitis has been reported among school-going children. A study conducted in Hyderabad on 1,047 school-going children aged between 3 and 15 years reported that 29 per cent of them had allergic rhinitis, a type of inflammation in the nose which occurs due to allergens. Studies suggest that allergic rhinitis might lead to asthma as well. The Hyderabad study reported prevalence of asthma among  9 per cent of the 1,047 children covered by the study.
The International study of Asthma and Allergy in Childhood (ISAAC) had reported prevalence of allergic rhinitis in India among 40 per cent children.
Allergy and asthma specialist Dr Suprithi Reddy Chitta says, “Allergic rhinitis is common among children. A major reason for it is the dust mite which dwells on bed sheets, carpets and soft toys. The mites feed on dead skin we shed naturally while sleeping. When children sleep with  stuffed toys, the dead skin they shed gets stuck not just to the bed sheet but also to the stuffed toys. Bed sheets may be washed but the same is not the case with the toys. This is the reason why carpets must be avoided. They accumulate a lot of dead skin, especially when pets are around, and result in mites breeding in large numbers.”
Just washing the bed sheets is not going to help. “If the sheets are just washed, it will not be of much use. To ensure that mites are killed, they need to be soaked in hot water,” says Dr Suprithi.
Dr SA Rafi, a consultant pulmonologist, says, “Pollution is one of the main causes of allergic rhinitis among children as well as adults. In Hyderabad, residential areas close to industrial ares are the hotbeds of allergic rhinitis. Parents should avoid taking children out during peak traffic hours.” Further, a change in weather condition, like a dip in temperature, also causes allergic rhinitis while it is also hereditary in some children.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Image
                                       HEAR HERE       *NO* *PHONE* *IN* *THE* *KITCHEN* *PLEASE* Do you make or receive calls in your kitchen? my name is Dr.Ademola. just 3 days ago my husband, who also is a doctor, shared the sad incidents of 6 people who where brought inti the casualty department for treating burns which they sustained while making phone calls in the kitchen with the gas burner ON. Even microwave oven or induction stoves could be dangerous.some cook with the phones pressed against the ears! please stop making or receiving calls in the kitchen. It is as dangerous as making or receiving calls in a petrol station. please don't forget to share with loved ones. If the call is very urgent , then move away from the gas by 10-12 feet and then take the call. Remember that your safety is your family's safety too. 
Read more
Trump administration lifts transgender bathroom guidance The  Trump administration  has ended federal protections for transgender students  that instructed schools to allow them to use bathrooms and locker rooms matching their  gender identities . Stepping into an emotional national debate, the administration yesterday came down on the side of states' rights, lifting federal guidelines that had been issued by the Obama administration and characterized by Republicans as a legal overreach. Without the Obama directive, it will be up to states and school districts to interpret federal anti-discrimination law and determine whether students should have access to restrooms in accordance with their expressed gender identity and not just their biological sex. "This is an issue best solved at the state and local level," Education Secretary Betsy DeVos said. "Schools, communities and families can find a" and in many cases have found solutions that protect all students.
Read more