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Asthma Among Children 
in the UAE Alarming

DUBAI - Health experts say that the high prevalence of asthma among children in the UAE is particularly alarming, with one in five children in the UAE having the ailment, according to recent studies.

Ahead of the First Middle East Asia Allergy Asthma Immunology Congress (MEAAAIC) which will take place in Dubai for the first time from March 26-29, 2009, Professor Ruby Pawankar, chairperson of the conference and treasurer of the World Allergy Organization said that allergy was a life-style disease.

“Earlier, allergy (a major risk-factor for asthma), was prevalent in western Europe and the US, but now new life-style trends have marked an increase in the condition in the Middle East, Asia, Asia Pacific, Africa and many parts of the developing world,” she said.

The annual death rate for those aged between 5 and 34, is more than 250,000 worldwide, according to the State of the World Allergy Report 2008.

The expert said about 300 million people worldwide have asthma, approximately 50 per cent of whom live in developing countries.

“With the trend of increase of allergies amongst children, there could be a marked increase in allergies in the adult population in 10 to 15 years,” she added.

“Although genetic factors are important in the manifestation of asthma and allergies, the rapid increase in the prevalence of this disorder cannot be attributed to genetic factors alone. Changes in the social and economic environments also need to be taken into account,” she explained.

“In Asia for example, as communities adopt modern lifestyles and became more urbanised, the prevalence of allergic diseases has been increasing, almost doubling in some countries over a period of 10 years.”

The International Study on Asthma and Allergic rhinitis in children (ISAAC) recently reported that the prevalence of allergic diseases have increased from 0.8 per cent to 29.1 per cent for asthma, and from 5 per cent to 45 per cent for allergic rhinitis in Asia Pacific.

“Asthma symptoms vary over time, and also differ in severity from one individual to another. When it is not effectively treated, asthma often leads to hospitalisation, poor quality of life, missing school, and in some cases, death,” said Prof Pawankar.

Although asthma and allergy are actually serious diseases that diminish the quality of life and the work productivity of millions of patients, most people affected are severely under-diagnosed in many areas of the world, especially in the Middle East.

She said the UAE lacked accurate data on the disease.

“In order to reduce the global burden of allergies and asthma, it is crucial to raise awareness in the public, amongst the patients, and make practitioners more aware about asthma and allergies as serious diseases,” added Prof Pawankar.

“We need more specialists in this field and there is a need to increase public awareness among policy workers and researchers in the field,” she continued.

“Although there is no complete cure for them, asthma and allergy cases can be well treated and controlled with the appropriate treatment strategies,” she added.

Basic Cause of Allergy 
is Not Known

An allergy is the result of the body’s immune system reacting to a substance that is not normal to the body. The most common allergic conditions are hay fever, asthma, and certain skin irritations.

The basic cause of allergy is unknown, however, some believe it is the ‘reaction stem’ from a misguided immune system. Many substances are capable of causing an allergic reaction. The most common are pollen, house dust, animal hair, feathers, food, drugs, and insect sting.

Asthma results from a partial closing of the airways of the lungs. The main symptoms are wheezing and shortness of breath. Pollens, house dust, exercise, infection, weather changes, and stress can trigger asthma attacks. Skin allergies, such as contact rashes and eczema, affect the skin. Certain foods may also cause a person to have allergic symptoms. Common causes could be fish, eggs, milk, nuts, and wheat. Symptoms include diarrhoea, eczema, headaches, asthma, and noise irritation.

asmaalizain@khaleejtimes.com