September 9, 2025 | Dubai, UAE: There is no doubt that when schools in the emirate officially reopen, parents will face a challenge the flu season in Dubai that has become almost a tradition. The shift from extremely hot to pleasant autumn weather is already resulting in an increase of school kids that have colds, coughs, and other respiratory diseases. Doctors of children’s clinics are calling on the public to engage in activities that strengthen immunity, maintain a good level of hygiene at home, and take prevention steps to protect their children from getting infected with seasonal infections.

10-year-old Dubai-based mother of a son, Amrita Sahni, confesses the yearly fight they encounter, “Every time the school year starts, it feels like the flu season in Dubai gets to our house as well. My son starts with a runny nose, then it is my turn, and the whole thing just goes on with coughs and sleepless nights.”

How to Cope with the Flu Season in Dubai: What You Can Do at Home

Experts in health emphasize that the severity of flu season in Dubai is due to several factors – temperature changes, dry air, and increased exposure to allergens that accompany the months of school. Dr. Riham Ismail, Paediatric Specialist at Medcare Women & Children Hospital, said: “Season changes have a major impact on the health of kids. In the classrooms, due to the close quarters, it is very easy for the infections to spread in a very short time.”

The parents can perform very simple, yet effective methods to protect kids from respiratory diseases while flu season in Dubai continues:

• During the night, use a humidifier in order to lessen the dryness of your home.
• Give sufficient water to children that will thin the mucus and result in the prevention of nasal blockage.
• Living spaces should be cleaned regularly – vacuum, wash your bedding in hot water, and keep the room free of allergens.
• Make an effort to have the kids wear scarfs or masks when an unexpected wind or cool air strikes.
• Feeding of children should consist mainly of fruits and vegetables and sugary snacks should be limited.
• Follow the health of children with asthma or allergies closely and change their treatment with seasons.

Maria Thomas, a Pulmonology Expert at the Medcare Royal Speciality Hospital who recommends the use of saline nasal rinse and humidifiers to help with breathing shares, “a child’s strong immune system ought to be your number one priority during the flu season in Dubai,” she went on to say, “proper diet, enough sleep and regular exercising will really make a difference.”

Moreover, Thomas told parents to make sure their kids get all the necessary vaccines, which is mainly the flu shot as it lowers the chances of a serious condition. “I always suggest seeing a doctor if symptoms get worse or continue for a long time. Also, when children are ill, being kept at home does not only allow them to recover faster but is also a way of stopping the transmission of germs,” she said.

Schools and Parents Must Collaborate This Flu Season in Dubai

The experts are unanimous in their opinion that schools can play a role in a great reduction of infections during the flu season in Dubai. Besides that, regular health examinations, well-ventilated classrooms, and frequent reminders about handwashing can have a significant effect on the spread of seasonal diseases.

“Support from home and school is the most effective way of dealing with the situation,” stated Dr. Ismail. “Early medical consultation is indeed a method to avert the development of asthma, bronchitis, and sinus infections. It is not only upon the first occurrence of symptoms that they should be treated but also when they reappear.”

During the flu season in Dubai that coincides with the return to school, parents are more and more concerned about the health of their children. The Sahnis, like numerous other families, are blending medical treatment with the application of home remedies such as turmeric milk, warm water, and steam inhalation to energize their kids to go to school with minimal disruptions.

The cold and dry air, as well as the allergens, are some of the main causes of the airway irritation, which in turn result in stuffy noses, headaches, facial pressure, and fatigue in children. The doctors say that symptoms may become stronger at night, which may cause children to not be able to sleep and also that they become more vulnerable to secondary infections. Therefore, families will have a better time during the flu season in Dubai if they are managing these kinds of diseases effectively.

This fall, more than a million students will be going back to school, and it is the healthcare providers who are the first to tell parents that – don’t wait, act now. A flu season in Dubai is probably going to happen but we can lessen the harshness of it through preventive care, vaccinations done at the right time, and by ensuring that we breathe clean air inside our homes and schools.

“In the long run, our mission is to have kids healthy, in school, and developing,” said Thomas. “It is just a matter of small daily habits and early intervention that won’t get out of control and turn into serious illnesses.”

Consequently, before the cold months arrive, it is essential for both homes and schools to be on board with the idea of a proactive strategy as a means to a successful school year that is healthy and free from any kind of interruption even when the flu jet-set is happening in Dubai.

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