Dear Doctor,

I am a nursery school teacher. It seems recently so many children have been affected by coughs, flue or pneumonia and its becoming a growing concern not only for parents but also school authorities. How best can we protect these kids and what could be behind the rampant spread of these diseases?

Margaret

Dear Margaret,

School children are a vulnerable group to respiratory infections like pneumonia and flu. This is due to multiple reasons. The immune system of children is weak as it is in a developing stage. As they get exposed to infections, antibodies subsequently develop in the body to fight against these infections. Children usually sit and play close together in schools, thus increasing risk of cross infections. Respiratory tract infections are more likely to spread by such close contact, as they spread by droplet infection. Germs from the mouth or nose of an infected individual ( as in talking, coughing or sneezing) can be inhaled by another person who is in close proximity.

Severity of infection depends on amount of microbes inhaled and resistance of the person. Most of these infections are viral and subside spontaneously even without treatment in a week. But bacterial infections can also occur resulting in cough and cold with high fever and prostration. Infection can spread to lung tissues causing serious pneumonia. Among grave infections, school children also form a group vulnerable to develop tuberculosis, due to increased risk of cross infections.

It is for parents to see that children take a healthy balanced diet which is rich in proteins. Antibodies which fight against infections and clear it, are made of proteins. Fast ready-to-eat foods and processed foods should be avoided as they tend to damage the immune system. Children should be provided with disposable tissues to clean any oral or nasal secretions and taught to use them, while coughing or sneezing. They should also be taught to cover their mouths while coughing. This is a simple, but effective measure to prevent droplet infections from spreading. Teachers can help in preventing these kinds of infections by educating parents about preventive measures and teaching children about simple hygienic practices in school. Any child suffering from cough and or cold should be advised to abstain from school till he/she recovers to prevent further spread of infection among other children.

Dr Rachna Pande  is a specialist in internal medicine at Ruhengeri Hospital