JEDDAH, 7 December 2007 — A recent rise in the number of cases of an acute type of respiratory illness that has been targeting the Kingdom’s youth is keeping parents and pediatricians working overtime.
The illness, known as asthmatic bronchitis, which typically lasts for 10 days and is accompanied by fever, severe coughing, wheezing, sneezing and shortness of breath, is a type of allergy rather than a virus or bacterial infection, health experts say.
The cause of the illness, according to health professionals, is due to a drastic change in weather from Saudi Arabia’s usually hot summertime temperatures to a cooler and much milder climate.
“The illness can become quite dangerous very quickly as it is the first step to the development of acute bronchial asthma,” Wafaa Redwan, a pediatrician at Halah Essa Binladin Polyclinic in Jeddah told Arab News. “It is very important for parents to know that seeking medical advice and treatment in the earliest possible stages is imperative because if left untreated or not controlled well the illness can evolve quite quickly requiring hospitalization in the severest cases.”
Abu Ahmed, a Saudi father living in Jeddah, learned this all too well with his three children: “My kids were coughing for about three days with my wife trying a number of home remedies in efforts of curing the cough, all of which proved unsuccessful.”
Abu Ahmed said that the situation became so bad that he had to rush his children to the ER of a nearby hospital. “They ordered oxygen therapy for them immediately,” he added.
According to a source at King Fahd Hospital in Jeddah, the number of cases of asthmatic bronchitis has as much as tripled, compared to previous years.
Arab News also visited other hospitals and clinics around the city for five consecutive days and found waiting rooms full of children, a majority of which nurses say were due to shortness of breath associated with asthmatic bronchitis.
“This is the time of year in Saudi Arabia when the weather changes and duststorms and other allergens and other respiratory irritants become more widespread,” said Redwan.
She concluded by saying that patients suffering from asthmatic bronchitis even during treatment are advised to stay away from external irritants such as cigarette smoke, dust, pollutants, chemicals, or fumes and vapors.
