The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Teachers grappling with dust allergy

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Aug 07, 2006

Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Teachers grappling with dust allergy

Chitra V. Ramani

NAGGING PROBLEM: A teacher affected by chalk dust. — Photo: Sampath Kumar G.P.

Bangalore: Teachers and chalk always go together. But, would you believe that the same piece of chalk may be giving teachers respiratory and skin allergies?

Several doctors in the city have been getting a lot of patients, who are teachers, with respiratory and skin allergies and throat problems. Chalk dust seems to be the reason for this.

"This is not something new. Teachers have been getting respiratory and skin allergies from use of chalk for a long time. Chalk dust not only causes respiratory and skin allergies, but also affects vision," said Robina Farouque, a teacher at Prasiddhi School.

"Teachers also develop throat related problems. No matter how much we invest in treatment, there is no hope of complete recovery. We have to depend on our voice," she said.

B.N. Saambamurthy, professor and head of ENT department, M.S. Ramaiah Memorial Hospital, said that several teachers complaining of a running nose, breathing problems and allergic cough had consulted him in the recent past. The only viable alternative for teachers was to either switch to non-dust chalk pieces or try out innovative teaching methods that do not involve black boards or chalk pieces, he added. "There are quite a few cases where teachers have also developed growths in their vocal chords. This happens owing to constant friction and their vocal chords are always strained," he said. "I developed a severe respiratory allergy. Even after extensive treatment, it did not subside. I was forced to quit teaching owing to my deteriorating health," said Latha Vasan, a former teacher.

Bellashetty, an official of the Department of Public Instruction, said that teachers these days were more prone to getting respiratory allergy as the quality of chalk available in the market was bad.

"Earlier, there were many varieties such as `balapa'. Those were almost dust-free. Schools should go in for white boards," he said. Many private schools had already started doing away with the traditional black board and chalk.

This should happen in government schools too. Otherwise, children and teachers would have to put up with the inconvenience, Mr. Bellashetty said.G.S. Padmanabhaiah, retired professor, said that other than occasional sore throat, he had never developed any allergy. "Teachers have to depend on their voice. Over a period of time, it starts changing. Primary and middle schoolteachers are the most affected in this regard," Dr. Saambamurthy said.

Teaching has its side-effects after all!

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Karnataka

News Update

Stories in this Section