A few weeks ago a number of children across Abu Dhabi walked through their school gates – albeit nervously amidst a global panic – for the start of a new academic year.
But a number of schools in the capital are delaying a return to the classroom, opting instead to continue with a distance learning programme for their students.
Parents whose children are going back to face-to-face learning are naturally worried about the fact that SARS-CoV-2 is still in circulation; the fact that the return to school coincides with the cold and flu season, adds extra worry, particularly for mums and dads of kids with asthma and allergies.
“The common cold virus typically peaks a few weeks after the start of the school year, and there is often a corresponding peak in emergency room visits and hospitalisations for kids with asthma at the same time,” says Dr Stuart Carr, chief medical officer at Snö Asthma & Allergy Centre.
“This year, many schools are delaying a return to in-person learning, and between this delay and a greater focus on helpful measures such as hand hygiene, face masks, and social distancing, there are reasons to be a bit more optimistic,” Carr explains.
But while there is reason to be more positive, Carr also warns that it is imperative for parents to reassess and update their children’s asthma treatment action plan before they go back to the classroom in order to ensure good asthma control.
There is some reassuring news for asthmatic kids Carr says.
“Although there will be lots of respiratory viruses making the rounds this fall and winter, it has been very encouraging to see that children with asthma do not appear more susceptible to the novel coronavirus, and that asthma does not appear to be a risk factor for children developing more severe symptoms of COVID-19 if infected,” he says.
“Additionally, children in general appear to be less likely to contract this particular virus than adults, and do not appear to be as efficient in spreading it either. We have also learned that surfaces (desks, tables, door handles, etc.) are not particularly important sources of SARS-CoV-2 transmission, which is good news for parents as their kids prepare to return to the classroom.”
However, Carr explains that there is a concern in the fact that the symptoms of SARS-CoV-2 infection in children do not seem to differ much from other more common respiratory viruses, such as a cold, with fever, cough, nasal congestion, runny nose and sore throats all being common regardless of the pathogen, making it almost impossible to differentiate without carrying out a PCR test.
Carr goes on to say that: “A lack of sense of smell does seem more predictive of COVID-19, however this symptom only seems to affect a small minority of infected children. This will make it tricky for schools and parents both, and we will probably have to err on the side of caution, staying home if sick and testing fairly widely.”
It’s not just cold and flu symptoms that can mirror those of COVID-19. Children with allergies can present with nasal congestion, discharge, and coughing too.
However, Carr states that allergies do not typically cause fevers.
“If you have or suspect environmental allergies, and you develop these mild symptoms, it can be helpful to try a non-sedating oral antihistamine. If this helps, it suggests your allergies may be to blame, while such medications would not be expected to help with a viral infection,” he advises.
So what can parents do to lessen the chances of their children getting ill with the influenza season just around the corner?
“Recent data from the southern hemisphere has been encouraging, suggesting that the measures we have put in place to help mitigate the novel coronavirus also helped dampen the spread of influenza during their recent winter. Hospitalisation rates for influenza were dramatically lower than in previous years, so hopefully that will hold true here this autumn and winter,” he says adding: “It is very important to get your flu shot this fall, even more so than usual!”
If you have a child who has asthma or who suffers with an allergy of any kind, we would love to hear from you. Next month, Dr Stuart Carr will be busting all your allergy-related myths and is happy to answer any questions you may have. All you have to do is email timeoutkids@itp.com with your question.
www.snoasthmaandallergy.com (800278462).
