Apartment Syndrome!

In the words of Cervantes “Make hay while the sun shines.” But do we abide by these golden words? Apartment Syndrome, the newest lifestyle disease on the block, has set in and has done a good job of making its presence felt – no pun intended! Remember the good old days – when so much time and work was done outdoors in the sun, playing and sweating it out. That was how kids would pass their time – take in the freshness of the air and get lots of physical exercise. That, however, doesn’t happen anymore! The mere thought of getting out in the sun nowadays, makes our jaw drop. This new malady that is to be constantly battled, like we have fought against so many other diseases – polio, rickets, bent bones, bow legs, could possibly engulf the lives of more children if grownups continue to be negligent.

Apartment Syndrome is reported to impact younger children severely, especially new born babies raised in flats or apartments. Today, infants are raised in the comfort of air-conditioners. Even breast-fed babies are kept out of the sunlight, leading to diagnosis of the deficiency of Vitamin D. The lack of this vitamin causes a severe disease like rickets, accompanied by weak bones. The latter can lead to fractures and deformities. While breast milk is said to have only traces of Vitamin D, its only natural and rich source is sunlight. Parents these days believe that keeping babies away from the sunlight is best for them, considering the other ill-effects of exposure to sunlight. They do not realize that they make them a victim of bent bones and bow legs, and thus – Apartment Syndrome.

This trend must not be taken lightly, as a sedentary lifestyle will surely take a huge toll on mankind. The present and future generations would have a whole new battle to fight if they did not realize that living within the four walls and behind closed doors can be very unhealthy. Apartment syndrome is caused only because of lack of sunlight and as the name suggests, has been observed more in children raised in apartments with less or absolutely no sunrays coming in. The only way to avoid it, is by spending a considerable amount of time in the sun. In Chennai, where there is no dearth of sunlight, one is surprised to find reports on the rise in the number of cases where babies have been diagnosed with Apartment Syndrome.

As of now, there is nothing to panic about, as a cure for this disease is available absolutely free – exposure to sunlight for 15-20 mins every day. Doctors have obviously recommended exposure to sunlight as a treatment. However, this is a remedy for children who have minor symptoms of the syndrome, just as jaundice in a new born baby is treated by exposing him/her to sunlight. There is no detailed information available on a cure for children who are severely affected by this malady. That’s something we’d have to wait for, at least for a while.