IT is no longer news that the harmattan is here with us, although mild, in the next days, it will sure pick up tempo.
Harmattan is a hot, dry and dusty wind that blows from the Sahara Desert into the Gulf of Guinea between November and the middle of March. This period is usually associated with low humidity and the weather is harsh to the respiratory tract, hair, as well as the skin.
Effects of harmattan
The dry weather conditions associated with the harmattan have various health implications on humans, affecting their respiratory system, skin and eyes. The number of people that come down with cold and cough, as well as a viral infection commonly referred to as flu, usually increases at this period of the year. The ear, nose and throat are always the first to be affected.
The harmattan also triggers respiratory diseases, such as asthma, cough, catarrh, tonsillitis, influenza, pneumonia and bronchitis, even cerebro-spinal meningitis.
It worsens conditions like sore throat. The dry air that is breathed in irritates the throat as the voice changes and becomes very hoarse.
The harmattan causes crisis in those with sickle cell anaemia. Oxygen in the blood is usually reduced in extreme temperatures, like cold. Thus, patients with sickle cell anaemia should take precaution and keep warm as much as possible to prevent a crisis.
Signs and symptoms
Sneezing, cold, cough, catarrh, noisy breathing, fever, cracked lips, cracked skin, epistasix (bleeding from nostrils).
How to prevent negative effects of harmattan
Parents should limit their exposure to dust. Curtains should be washed. Air-conditioners should also be serviced to avoid harmattan-induced symptoms. Windows and fans should be wiped with wet rags. We should take more liquid, especially water, during harmattan to prevent dehydration and heatstroke. Parents can do steam inhalation for the children. The moisture will help to sooth the nose sinuses and the lungs. Parents should observe a high level of personal hygiene as the infection is often spread from person to person through sneezing and coughing. The best way to prevent the flu is by getting vaccinated each year.
Treatment
Over the counter drugs like antipyretics, analgesics, vitamins and antihistamines are sometimes recommended for symptomatic relief. Complications, especially by a super imposing bacterial infection, are treated with appropriate antibiotics. Bacterial pneumonia, dehydration, asthma attacks, sinus problems, ear infections, epistasix and other chronic medical conditions are treated in the hospitals.
Protecting Your Children From Harmattan
Bathe your children with warm water. This ensures that they are protected against direct cold. You may rub some mentholatum on their chests and the soles of their feet at night to stay warm.
With every diaper change, you may want to moisturise their buttocks. Some mothers do this with shea butter. After a warm bath, apply balm on their sides, chest and feet. This keeps them warm.
To keep their skin healthy during this period, apply oily creams and ensure that they wear weather-friendly clothes. Applying petroleum jelly to the soles of the feet will prevent them from cracking.
Wearing warm clothes will keep you warm and protect us from the severe cold. Maintain proper eye hygiene by rinsing with clean water. Also, a pair of protective spectacles will help to reduce the exposure of the eyeballs to dust.
When it is very cold in the morning, you may want your kids to put on a singlet or undershirt under their clothes. Let them have a sweater handy at all times.
For the girls, please ensure that their hair is made and moisturized all the time. You may want to let them spend more time in the house to protect them from the dry, dusty air.
Asthma patients should pay special attention to their health and take all possible and practicable me a sure s to reduce exposure to the dusty atmosphere. They should carry their inhalers with them at all times. Sickle cell patients should be vigilant and keep warm as much as possible to prevent a crisis.
The weather is very deceptive at this time of the year. One minute, it is very hot and the next minute, it is cold. The sun may be shining, but there is a chill in the air. Parents need a lot of wisdom when it comes to taking care of their children during harmattan. Give them lots of water to drink and fruits to eat as this will help to reinforce their immunity to infections during the period.
Find ways to make the period interesting for them. Make them to avoid eating ice cream and drinking chilled water.
