Climate variations make kids vulnerable to a host of diseases from cough to asthma.

"The strength of outdoor patients, especially children in city hospitals have surged by 30%," said executive member, Indian Association Paedeatric, Aurangabad chapter, Neeti Soni.

She said, "Children, most of them below five years of age, are suffering from common cold, sinus, asthma, allergy, headache and flu. The big difference in night and day temperatures provides an ideal environment for the growth and spread of viruses and bacteria, which is the common cause for various ailments."

She said, "Winter ailments like cold, cough, congestion, flu, and sore throat are common and mostly children suffer from one or all of these. It is particularly common to find small children sneezing or sniffling, having fever and or chest congestion with a blocked nose that makes it difficult to sleep at night. Repeated attacks of allergy and cough can also lead to asthma."

City's well-known pedeatricain and IMA member, Rajendra Vaidya, said, "Diurnal temperature variation and cloudy skies are making children ill with upper respiratory tract infections, asthma and diarrhea problems. The percentage has gone up by 25% in past one week."

"The dry cold weather in Aurangabad and pollution aggravates asthma and allergy problems. School-going children are more vulnerable. Patients suffering from respiratory and ear infection have gone up by 20-30% in last one week," said head of ENT department at Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), Jeevan Vedi.

"Good nutrition and outdoor activities play an important part in strengthening immunity and it is a good idea to supplement food with lots of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants vital to boost the body's defence mechanism to fight viruses and bacteria" suggested Soni.

"Children to stay away from junk food and increase outdoor activities, in fact parents should play an important role to motivate their children," she added.