Doctors Explain Why Children Are More Vulnerable To Severe Malaria Anti Malaria Month June

With the monsoons settling in, diseases like malaria are expected to be on the rise in the country. The mosquito-borne infectious disease can be life-threatening for vulnerable groups, especially children.

The month of June is observed as Anti-Malaria Month in the country. On that occasion, HT Lifestyle spoke with Dr Ankur Ohri, general pediatric consultant at Madhukar Rainbow Children’s Hospital, and Dr Amit Prakash Singh, internal medicine consultant at CK Birla Hospital, Delhi, who explained what makes children particularly vulnerable to the disease.

According to Dr Ankur Ohri, when children are infected with malaria, they experience a greater severity of the illness than adults.

“Malaria parasites infect and destroy red blood cells, resulting in decreased ability to carry oxygen,” he noted. “A child's smaller body reserves and greater metabolic rate result in a significant loss of health status.”

As per Dr Singh, children are at greater risk of complications from malaria because their immune system is still maturing.

“Many adults who live in areas with malaria are able to strengthen their immune systems through repeated exposures to malaria; however, young children do not develop any immunity with repeated exposures to malaria,” he shared.

When it comes to the general population, the increased risk of children is also in part because of their spending time outside homes, claimed Dr Ohri.

“Because children typically spend much of their time outside, they rely on their caregivers to recognise symptoms and to access urgent medical care. Delayed diagnosis, self-treatment, or the assumption that a child has a typical viral illness may cause the disease process to progress rapidly from mild to severe,” he expressed.

Explaining the effects of malaria in children, Dr Ohri stated, “When malaria is transmitted to a child, the malaria parasite can multiply quickly and extensively in the child's blood, which can lead to a significant decrease in red blood cells. This can lead to severe anaemia, which is one of the most common and dangerous complications from malaria in children.”

“In addition to this, malaria can affect other organs, which may cause breathing difficulties, low blood sugar, dehydration, and, in the most severe cases of malaria, lead to cerebral malaria (malaria that involves the brain), resulting in seizures, coma, and/or permanent brain injuries.”

Early symptoms of malaria in children include fever, fatigue, irritability, vomiting, and difficulty feeding, noted Dr Singh. These are also symptoms of other common childhood illnesses, so parents can delay seeking medical care despite conditions worsening quickly, he cautioned.

“Preventive measures such as mosquito control, insecticide-treated bed nets, timely diagnosis, and early treatment play a critical role in protecting children from severe malaria and reducing related complications,” highlighted Dr Singh.

Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.

Debapriya Bhattacharya is a Content Producer at Hindustan Times. He started his career in 2022, working in newsrooms in beats like education, US news, trending stories, and entertainment. In his new role in the lifestyle desk, he seeks to deliver a balanced blend of research-driven reporting and creative storytelling from health and recipes to art and culture. Science, philosophy, food and pop culture are what pump his veins and help bring heart to his stories. Debapriya tries to see out subjects that will allow him and readers to explore new frontiers and improve the quality of life for all. The explorations can be both external and internal, as thoughts seek to be as chaotic as the greater universe. As a citizen of the world, Debapriya has been fascinated by the lives of people across the globe throughout time. His curiosity leads him to explore new linguistic and cultural landscapes to broaden his horizons and deepen his understanding of global narratives. Beyond the newsroom, Debapriya loves to participate in debate and theatre, spaces that he considers to be holy grounds for nuance and self-expression. A graduate from Ashutosh College, University of Calcutta, Debapriya completed his Master's degree from the same university in 2022. An ambiverted bibliophile, he loves his solitude as much as he adores stimulating conversations. And despite his reverence for tech, libraries continue to be his favourite place for research.Read More