Pune: Allergies among children surge amid rising pollution & drop in temperature

PUNE: Relatively higher levels of outdoor air pollution from motor vehicle emissions and construction dust, coupled with a drop in the minimum temperature as well as wrong food choices, have sent asthma and allergic-reaction cases among children rising over the last few days, city paediatricians told TOI on Thursday.
Paediatrician Anay Deshmukh confirmed that more children were reporting allergic rhinitis, allergic conjunctivitis, asthma attacks and even itching bouts due to skin allergies from a combined effect of cold weather and rising pollution.
He said, “Though this is the season for such issues, we have seen an increase in such cases this time around as compared to the same period last year. Skin allergies are also on the rise, perhaps due to the combined effect of winter, pollution and consuming the wrong foods.” Deshmukh said allergies tend to affect several organs in the body, including the lungs where it leads to asthmatic tendencies. “These allergies typically affect children who are especially vulnerable due to genetic causes or heredity.
Intake of artificial sweeteners and preservatives through sweets during Diwali may also be causing such reactions in children,” he added. A pre-school owner, Seema Tanwar, told TOI, “We are seeing more children coming down with allergies, breathing issues, itchy and watery eyes after Diwali, as pollution levels have remained high after the festival despite firecrackers not being burst now.
Tanwar said, “We are seeing multiple allergies in children these days, allergies to pigeons being the latest addition. Rhinitis and asthma symptoms due to construction dust have also increased. Children are also reporting sick due to skin-related issues like eczema.” Dr Rajesh Kulkarni, associate professor of paediatrics at the PGI-YCM Hospital in Pimpri Chinchwad, told TOI, “Young children, especially between the age of six months and 2 years, are being impacted because of the sudden drop in the minimum temperatures as well as pollution. We are seeing a lot of bronchiolitis cases, requiring prolonged hospital stay.
Food allergies may also have a combined role to play mainly due to colours and additives in packaged and junk foods. Due to festivities, children, who may be allergic to certain foods, are eating wrong, resulting in respiratory flareups in some.” Dr Aarti Kinikar, professor and head of paediatrics at the BJ Government Medical College, said, “This is also a season for respiratory viral infections, which continue to be high among children till January every year. Rising pollution levels may make symptoms worse and aid infection spread.