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UAE back to school: Hospital says 75% of students suffer from vitamin D deficiency and eye problems – News

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Diagnosis based on laboratory results of children receiving free tests



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Posted: Friday, August 26, 2022 at 5:59 pm

Some UAE hospitals, including those offering free health checks before schools reopen, reported that 70 to 75 percent of students were vitamin D deficient and had vision-related problems. Many people have gained weight.

Based on the lab results of 50 students who have been examined for free over the past few days, Dr. Dhanya P. Menon, an expert and pathologist at Phoenix Hospital in Abu Dhabi, noted that three-quarters of students do not have enough vitamin D in their bodies. , because they are rarely exposed to sunlight.

“Vitamin D levels above 30 ng/ml are considered acceptable. Any value between 20 ng/ml and 30 ng/ml is not sufficient. And less than 20 ng/ml is deficient. As children Not going out in the summer and living a sedentary lifestyle would have expected deficient vitamin D levels, but we found that most of them had very low vitamin D levels. Over 75% of children were found to be vitamin D deficient,” Dr. Danya told Cali era.

Dr. Babitha Sudarsanan, a paediatric specialist at LLH Hospital in Mussafa, echoed similar sentiments, saying that because of the sweltering summer heat, children were kept indoors and were not getting sunlight vitamins. “During the summer, vitamin D deficiency is common in children.”

According to official data, the mercury temperature has repeatedly exceeded 50 degrees Celsius this summer, and it has remained above 40 degrees for most of the country. Dr Babitha noted that cases of respiratory diseases have increased due to the hot and dusty weather.

“The increase in cases of respiratory infections is higher than in previous years. Also, viral fever is now being seen. These are the main issues we are seeing during the ‘back to school’ free health checks,” Dr Barbiza said.

Fatigue, bone deformities, back, muscle and joint pain, cramps, weakness, mood changes, depression are some of the symptoms of vitamin D deficiency. In addition to sun exposure, children should eat plant and animal foods such as salmon, sardines, oily fish such as herring and mackerel, red meat, egg yolks, cod liver, fortified milk, and grains.

20-20-20 Rules for eye protection

Dr. Ajay Sapra, an ophthalmologist at Musafah Ahalia Hospital, stressed that there has been an increase in the number of cases of refractive error, a common eye condition, which has led to the need for glasses in children.

“During the consultation, we observed that digital eyestrain (also known as computer vision syndrome) became very common among children, mainly due to excessive use of gadgets such as laptops, mobile phones and televisions. Suffering from myopia (nearsightedness) of children have increased refractive errors. Such cases have proliferated a lot. In OPD (outpatient clinic), 7 out of 10 children reach 70%. They need glasses or contact lenses to correct refractive errors. Glasses have Anti-reflective coating to prevent digital eyestrain.”

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Dr. Sapra recommends the 20-20-20 rule to reduce eye strain in children and adults.

“After 20 minutes of using a digital screen, you should take a 20-second break and look at a distance of about 20 feet,” Dr. Sapra noted. People can also blink 20 times, which will help the tears spread over the eyes and prevent dryness.

Weight gain still a problem

Doctors noted a common pattern of up to 40 percent of children being overweight, which they noted was not worrisome, but worrisome.

Dr Meenakshi Sesama, a specialist in paediatrics at Aster Clinic in Al Barsha, Dubai, said the most significant problems in children are weight gain, vision and deficiencies of certain vitamins.

“Due to the pandemic, children have spent their entire lives at home. The only pastimes are playing mobile phones, gaming consoles, watching TV and other indoor games. Even during the holidays, the temperature is high and children cannot play outside. …as a result, there was a significant decrease in physical activity and an increase in screen time. This could be a possible explanation for the weight gain and vision problems.”

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Dr. Meenakshi noted that of the 10 children who attended, 3 to 4 were found to be overweight.

“Poor eating habits are a problem. Parents must take this seriously and ensure that their children maintain a healthy weight. As temperatures gradually improve, parents should encourage children to be more physically active and ensure they eat and drink healthy foods. Cut down on outside foods and carbonation Beverages are critical in combating weight gain in children.”

Certain behavioral problems in children, such as hyperactivity, poor social skills, tantrums and lack of sleep, are other issues that need to be addressed early to prevent long-term psychosocial impairment, Dr. Meenakshi said.

Dr Babitha, who provides general health advice to parents, added: “Promote the general health and well-being of children. Encourage them to maintain a healthy lifestyle and diet, and get regular physical activity even when indoors. Take adequate precautions to avoid Covid-19 -19 and follow guidelines such as wearing a mask and maintaining social distancing. Also, teach them to follow proper respiratory hygiene and general hygiene.”

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