Asthma has been on the rise among children, city paediatricians and chest physicians have said. Doctors say the major reasons behind the rise are poor hygiene, more intake of junk food and increasing construction work in the city.
Asthma has been on the rise among children, city paediatricians and chest physicians have said. Doctors say the major reasons behind the rise are poor hygiene, more intake of junk food and increasing construction work in the city.
Bombay Hospital paediatrician Dr Mukesh Sankhlecha said, "The incidence is going up, it could be because of better diagnosis." He added that the hygiene hypothesis could be a reason behind the rise.
"With our society becoming more advanced, a lot of emphasis is given on hygiene. This leads to less exposure of the child to infection but makes him/her more prone to allergies."
In light of these observations, the Indian Academy of Paediatricians (IAP) is holding a workshop to sensitise all paediatricians. It also plans to organise other events at hospitals to raise awareness among parents.
"The word asthma conjures up images of a violently coughing child who's hardly able to breathe, with parents looking on in anguish. The diagnosis scares the living daylights out of them. General ignorance towards the knowledge about the disease, coupled with poor interaction with medical professionals, has made this condition scarier than it actually is," said Dr Amin Kaba, paediatrician, JJ hospital.
India has an estimated 15-20 million asthmatics and the prevalence is between 10% and 15% in five- to 11-year-olds. Worldwide economic costs associated with asthma are estimated to exceed those of TB and HIV/AIDS combined. Though the mortality is lower, the economic losses are tremendous.
"There is taboo attached to asthma, probably because of the numerous myths associated with it. There is a fear among parents over using inhalers and steroids for treatment," said Dr Sushant Mane, secretary, IAP.
He added that as part of the World Asthma Day celebrations, efforts were being made to increase public awareness.
"Our staff nurses will be performing a street play at GT hospital and JJ hospital on Tuesday between 11am and 12 noon for public awareness. We have also organised a CME for paediatricians on May 15 to enhance their knowledge about asthma management."
According to latest reports, worldwide there are around 300 million people living with asthma, half of which are children. Asthma is the most common chronic disease causing morbidity across ages.
What is asthma?
It is an inflammation of the small airways causing the tubes to swell and undergo spasm, narrowing them down and leading to difficulty in breathing. Lung tissue is not affected in asthma.
What are the symptoms?
Cough, wheezing, breathlessness and chest tightness, either singly or in combination, mostly occurring at night or early morning and aggravated on playing, laughing or crying. In 90% of children, asthma presents as cough and sometimes it may be the only presenting symptom.
What are the triggers of an acute attack?
Smoking (including passive smoking), exposure to dust (indoor & outdoor), pollen, change of weather, automobile air pollutants, pets and pests in house, moulds and fungus, smoke producers (incense sticks, firecrackers, biogas fuel), and allergies to certain foods and cosmetics.
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