Health
A Paediatrician, Dr Mary Akintomide, has advised parents against exposing their children to cold during the rainy season to prevent pneumonia and complications associated with it.
Akintomide, who works at Isolo General Hospital, Lagos, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Lagos that pneumonia was one of the biggest killer-diseases of children under five years.
According to her, this can be prevented with simple interventions and precautions.
She advised parents to take good care of their children, pay attention to their health, especially now that they were on indefinite holidays due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
The paediatrician said that with the rainy season approaching, parents should carefully cover up their children with warm clothes to prevent them from catching cold.
She said rainy season was characterised by cold, adding that it was very important to take precautions, especially in children who were unsuspecting and in their innocence might come in contact with the disease.
According to the expert, pneumonia is a dangerous infection with a lot of complications, if not detected early and properly treated.
“Now that the children are at home due to the effects of COVID-19 pandemic, it is an opportunity for the parents to properly monitor them and take care of their health.
“So, make sure that you do not allow them to move around when it rains, because they may catch cold at the end of the day,” she cautioned.
The expert also advised adults, particularly pregnant women against exposing themselves to cold during the wet season.
She advised parents to always give children vitamin-rich foods to boost their immune system, adding findings showed that pneumonia was common among those with weak immune system.
“So, it is important to give children food rich in vitamin like fruits.
“Nutrients in fruits help to guard against some diseases, boost immune system, and it lowers the risk of heart-related diseases such as stroke and high blood pressure in adults.
“I advise everyone to please cover yourself properly and protect yourself from cold as the rainy season progresses,” she said.
NAN reports that there was a heavy downpour for over four hours on Thursday in Lagos.
NAN
– May 28, 2020 @ 18:25 GMT /
Tags: Don’t expose your children to cold during rainy season Paediatrician warns parents
