Infants worst victims of cold-borne illnesses

An infant at the children's ward in Chattogram Medical College Hospital yesterday. With temperature going down, CMCH is seeing a surge in the number of child patients with cold-related complications. Photo: Rajib Raihan

Paediatric departments of hospitals in Chattogram are dealing with a large influx of patients, as the advent of winter has brought with it cold-borne viruses and infections, of which infants are being the worst victims. 

During a visit to the paediatric ward of Chittagong Medical College Hospital (CMCH) yesterday, Rumi Debi was seen nebulising (administering medicine in the form of mist inhaled into the lungs) her four-month-old daughter Pushpita, who had severe difficulty breathing.

The mother said her daughter was suffering from breathing problems since November 25, and she brought her to CMCH all the way from Chandanaish upazila of Chattogram.

Twenty-two-day-old Ashraful Nahiyan has been suffering from the same symptoms since Saturday night. Her mother Nahida immediately brought him to Feni Sadar Hospital, but his condition deteriorated there, prompting doctors to send him to CMCH.

Six-month-old Chan Mia was being administered saline intravenously (through a needle into the bloodstream) in the same ward. Her mother Rahima said he has been suffering from breathing problem for seven days.

“He not only suffers from breathing problems, but diarrhoea as well,” said the worried mother.

Most of the patients admitted to the ward were suffering from cold-borne diseases like pneumonia, bronchiolitis and diarrhoea caused by rotavirus.

Paediatric wards of different hospitals in the port city are also overrun by an overwhelming number of patients suffering from cold-related diseases.

Doctors said children are vulnerable to different cold diseases during the time of changing season from late autumn to winter.

“A child's immune system is not as strong as an adult person, and so they are vulnerable to be infected in different cold diseases during the change of season,” said Prof Dr Pranab Kumar Chowdhury, head of paediatric department at CMCH.

Pranab said the 104-bed ward was catering to patients three times its capacity due to the rising number of patients.

Of the admitted patients, two-third was suffering from cold-borne diseases, he said.

Pranab said parents should be extra careful about their children's health in winter. If the children are breathing fast or feel discomfort in breathing, then parents should immediately take them to hospital, he said.

As the rotavirus becomes active in this season,

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