Parents start thinking and planning about how to take care of their children’s health before it comes to the world. Every parent wants to give their best to their children. What to feed them and how to take care of children’s health are the common questions on parents’ minds. The healthy choices and habits developed in childhood are carried to the adolescent age. It is important to develop healthy habits during this early phase. Nowadays, many children are obese or overweight due to faulty feeding habits, inactive lifestyles, and overexposure to electronic screens. A healthy, active lifestyle helps in maintaining body weight and can help in reducing the risk factors for many diseases later in life.

How to take care of your children’s health?

The following are a few suggestions that may help in the healthy development and growth of your children.

Mother’s milk is an ideal choice: Mother’s milk is an ideal natural food for your baby. It provides all the nutrients required for the healthy growth and development of your children. It makes your baby’s immunity strong and provides a solid basis for the normal and healthy growth of your children. It strengthens the bond between you and your baby. But it requires a lot of time, devotion, and dedication to healthy eating. Please consult your healthcare provider before making a decision about what is best suitable for your children.

Feed your children with natural foods: Consult your child’s pediatrician before starting to give food to your children. Generally, semi-solid food is given from 6 months onwards, followed by solid foods. Avoid using processed foods while feeding your children. Processed foods may contain added sugars, salts, and unhealthy fats. always prefer:-

• seasonal and fresh fruits and vegetables.
• whole grains.
• Lean cuts of meat.
• Fresh fish.
• Poultry
• Foods that are rich in fiber like- beans and leafy vegetables.
• For more details about a healthy diet for your children, please click.

Multivitamins are not generally necessary:- Mostly children get sufficient vitamins from the variety of healthy food prepared by you. However, the pediatrician of your child can be consulted if it is a concern.

Avoid stressing about cleaning the plate. Your baby knows when he is full and when to stop eating. Avoid stressing the baby to finish the food served on his plate. When your child says he or she does not want it anymore, it may not mean that he or she is skipping food. It may be that their bodies are telling them that they have had enough food. Overeating your children may lead to obesity and being overweight. which can be a risk factor for many diseases later in life.

Taking care of your children’s health during summers.

Babies younger than 6 months should not be exposed to direct sunlight. Sunlight has ultraviolet rays. Ultraviolet rays may damage children’s skin, which may lead to an increased risk of skin cancer later in life. Too much exposure to ultraviolet radiation can cause sunburn and may damage the eyes also. Avoid using sunscreen. A baby’s skin is not capable of metabolizing and excreting chemicals found in sunscreen creams or lotions.

Sunlight is also important for your children’s health.

The best time for exposure to sunlight is from 6 a.m. to 7.30 a.m. As the sunlight is not intense during this period. For your child, 10 to 30 minutes of exposure is enough. Sunlight exposure helps your baby synthesize vitamin D.

During summer, the chances of infections like malaria, dengue, chikungunya, etc. increase. And water-borne diseases like jaundice, diarrhea, typhoid, etc. are more. Give proper protection to your child by using mosquito repellents; practicing hand hygiene; avoiding consuming and feeding stale food; stressing about drinking purified water and keeping your baby well hydrated, etc.

Making your children physically active.

Physical activity is essential for your children. It sets the stage for health and nutrition for a lifetime. Lack of physical activity may lead to obesity and overweight. which are the risk factors for many diseases like diabetes, high blood pressure, cardiovascular diseases, etc. As per the W.H.O. Report, the number of obese children and adults has multiplied tenfold in the last 40 years.

As per Dr. Jila Kaberi Ostarod, Geisinger obesity and weight management physician and associate director for Geisinger Northeast’s Nutrition and weight management program. “The obesity epidemic is a very real problem that typically starts when you’re a kid”. He further says” If you aren’t taught good habits about your diet, you might end up making lifestyle choices that lead to weight gain, sedentary lifestyle and, eventually, becoming obese.”

“Healthy physical activity, sedentary behavior, and sleep habits are established early in life, providing an opportunity to shape habits through childhood, adolescence, and adulthood” — W.H.O.

For more, read about how a sedentary lifestyle affects people’s health. <<= Please click.

Following are a few suggestions:-

Children between one to four years of age should spend a minimum of three hours on physical activities per day.

Infants below one year should be allowed floor-based play and should avoid electronic screens.

It is suggested that children under five years of age should be physically active and have sufficient sleeping time to enable them to learn healthy lifestyle habits and get themselves prevented from obesity and other health issues.

Limiting electronic screen watching time for your children’s health.

“Sedentary behaviors, whether riding motorized transport rather than walking or cycling, sitting at a desk in school, watching T.V. Or playing inactive screen-based games are increasingly prevalent and associated with poor health outcomes” the W.H.O.Said.

Watching TV and playing computer games for a longer duration leads to shorter sleep durations. Insufficient sleep, in the long run, leads to fat accumulation. thus leading to obesity and associated health problems.

As per guidelines issued by the World Health Organization (W.H.O.): Keep children under one year of age away from electronic screens, i.e. mobile phones, computers, TV, etc. Children from two to four years of age should be allowed to view electronic screens for one hour per day only.

Take good care of your children’s health. For any health-related issues, Please consult your healthcare provider.

For awareness purposes only.

Surinder Bhalla

40+ years of experience in the healthcare industry.