Indoors for 2 years, children now falling sick due to low immunity

Nagpur: Doctors are seeing a sudden spike in children, mostly toddlers or those with pre-existing health conditions, frequently complaining of cough, allergies, viral infection, water-borne diseases, respiratory tract infections and gastrointestinal infections. But most of these infections are self-limiting and children recover within 2-3 days, they said.

According to doctors, the pandemic had a wide-ranging impact on children’s health and staying at home for two years has taken a toll on their immunity. Children develop immunity to various viruses and bacteria by regular exposure to small inoculum of these microorganisms from their school and play mates during their interactions.

Senior paediatrician Dr Uday Bodhankar said eight out of the 10 kids in his OPD are coming with similar complaints. “During the lockdown and stay-at-home periods, their body didn’t get an opportunity to go through this process at the natural pace. Now, when the schools have re-opened and other restrictions have been relaxed, the immune systems of children are suddenly bombarded by these infections,” he said.

Dr Bodhankar said it is normal for a child to fall sick due to viral infection around 3 to 4 times a year, till the age of 7 years.
“In schools and other playing areas, kids are exposed to various allergens such as pollen, dust, weed, viral infection among others and this manifests as, for instance, allergic cough. As a result of these exposures, they either develop the disease or a subclinical infection. These lead to formation of antibodies and cellular immunity. Both of these protect them from subsequent infections and diseases,” he said.

He also warned that parents must be prepared for an increase in cases of water-borne diseases, typhoid and hepatitis.

“While these cases were too less during the last two years, children now are falling sick frequently. Even a small exposure is leading to an intense response from the body,” he said, adding only a few children are requiring hospitalisation.

Paedeatric Intensivist Dr Vivek Charade said children below 5 years have lower immunity. “Getting various viral infections like flu, diarrhoea etc are very common in this age group. They can get up to 6-8 times infections/year. Most of these infections are self-limiting and children recover within 2-3 days. When schools are open, a child can get various infections from his peers. Even a single infected student can infect 5-6 fellow students depending upon the severity of infection,” he said.
Dr Abhishek Madhura, assistant professor, incharge, paediatric respiratory clinic, GMCH, said they have been getting several kids with complaints of airway allergies. “This has been a trend during summer time since the pandemic,” he said.

Dr Madhura added that despite hot weather, asthmatic and allergic rhinitis cases are rising mainly because of pollen or allergan in the enviromnemt. “Need for admission depends on the patient condition. In asthma attack, it may require a couple of hours observation and medication,” he said.