[gallery size="medium" td_select_gallery_slide="slide" td_gallery_title_input="Winter-proofing against diseases" ids="106189,106190,106191,106192"] WHEN winter arrives, it brings diseases with it. And families who have children suffering from chest diseases like chronic bronchitis and asthma worry to death about the consequences of the cold weather on their children's medical conditions. Cold weather exacerbates respiratory diseases and gastroenteritis is quite common in winter. Al-Riyadh newspaper sat with medical experts including pediatricians to talk about precautionary measures parents shall take to minimize the adverse effects inclement weather will have on their children's health. Dr. Abeer Ahmad, a pediatrician, urged parents to strictly follow precautionary steps such as washing hands several times a day, especially before eating or after shaking people's hands. "Washing one's hands frequently during the day can protect the body against many microbes and viruses. If someone is down with flu, they should put on a facial mask. It is also advisable for people who do not have flu to put on masks as a precautionary step," she explained. She said parents who go to see doctors seeking treatment for themselves should avoid taking their children with them to hospitals. "Children should not be taken to crowded places like hospitals and malls unless it becomes absolutely necessary. The most important thing is to avoid exposing oneself to cold weather immediately after exposure to hot conditions. Eating fruit and vegetables on a daily basis and consuming large amounts of water is important for maintaining one's health," Ahmed said. She advised families to engage in physical activities to strengthen the immune system and take seasonal flu shots and have children take it as well. Parents who have asthmatic children should give them medications on time and immediately on noticing the symptoms. Dr. Sameer Abdulrahman, an otolaryngologist working for Al-Adwani General Hospital, Taif, lists common winter diseases as sore throat, tonsillitis, sinusitis, middle ear infections, bronchitis and upper respiratory infections. "The symptoms of these diseases are almost similar. They include fever, difficulty to breathe, clogged nose, severe diarrhea, fatigue, headache and joint pain. Children two years old and below will manifest symptoms like fever, cough and sore throat. Some children will have to be hospitalized and even admitted to the ICU," he explained. Food that enhances the performance of the immune system includes honey, ginger, onion, green pepper, hot drinks and fruits, particularly orange, guava and lemon. As for patients who suffer from chronic medical conditions, he advised them to avoid exposure to dust, smoke, perfumes, incense, air fresheners, insecticides, pet animals, fish, eggs, mangoes, chocolate, banana, to mention a few. Zahra Hassan, a mother of three, used to love the winter season and enjoy it a lot. Today, she is worried about her children falling sick when the winter arrives. "I always buy a lot of heavy clothes for them and ensure they put on socks and mittens day and night because I do not want them to catch any of the winter diseases," she said. Umm Abdullah, a mother of two who both suffer from chronic respiratory conditions, takes extra precautionary steps during the winter. She never lets her children get exposed to cold weather. "It is not easy to keep a close eye on one's children all the time; it is a tough job," she said.
