ABU DHABI // Children taking advantage of the cooler weather to play outside should be aware of the increased risk of an asthma attack, a doctor has warned. "Outdoor factors such as pollution and dust can increase asthma," said Dr Pierre Majdalani, head of the paediatric respiratory and asthma clinic at Dr Sulaiman Al Habib Medical Clinic. "Pollution irritates the lungs and the airways of a child predisposed to asthma."
One in five children in the UAE has asthma, among the highest rates in the Middle East, he said. Children are at risk because they are not often able to communicate their symptoms to their parents, so the attacks can come without warning. "We have more children dying from asthma than there should be," said Dr Majdalani. "It can be very sudden. Often the parents are not aware of the signs." Asthma attacks come on more easily in children because their airways are smaller. While severe attacks are common in young children, teenagers can be at greater risk.
"Adolescents are the ones who are most likely to die from asthma because they don't take their treatment," he said. "Sometimes they smoke or ignore medical advice." Although there is a genetic predisposition to the condition, it is triggered by environmental factors. "The genes show their presence in a certain environment," said Dr Majdalani. "In France it could be that nothing happens, but if you come to the UAE, and are exposed to dust, these genes may express themselves and the child may begin to wheeze."
Parents should pay particular attention to the weather, as pollution and dust levels can change from day to day. "In the last few days we have seen dust in Dubai. I tell my patients that when you see this weather coming around the first thing to do is ask their doctor whether they need to increase treatment. We have to pay attention to the weather conditions and the amount of pollution around." He said that warnings should be given regarding pollution levels so that asthma sufferers can take appropriate action.
Although parents need to be diligent about watching for symptoms in their children, such as coughing a wheezingDr Majdalani said that they do not need to restrict their child's activities. "The objective of treatment is to give children a normal life," he said. "They can do anything they want - sports, going out, swimming, football." Asthma is one of the leading causes of school absences in the UAE. The Asthma Friendly School Programme was introduced two years ago as a joint initiative of the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Education, to provide a comprehensive asthma management programme for all schools.
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