Monsoon and Its Accompaniers:
Rains do bring happiness and joy to all of us, especially among children who love to make paper boats and sail them in the water. Moreover, the respite from the scorching heat brings relief to everyone. But, along with all the joy, rains also bring health issues such as food poisoning, diarrhea, cold, cough, fever, allergies, and various infections caused by various bacteria and viruses. Hence, it becomes necessary to improve kids' immunity and protect them from diseases, especially colds, fever, and diarrhea.
How Can We Protect Children in the Rainy Season?
Following are ways in which kids can stay healthy this monsoon.
1. Encourage Your Child to Drink Boiled Water:
It is imperative for kids to consume boiled water or filtered water. If the child drinks unfiltered water, the kid is very likely to get water-borne diseases like cholera, diarrhea, and other infections. Children enjoy eating street food, but it is very harmful to let them eat out during the rainy season due to the risk of various waterborne diseases. If your child loves to eat fancy items, try to prepare them at home as it is much safer. Encourage your kid to carry a bottle of water when he goes outside the house so that he does not end up having unfiltered water from outside.
2. Avoid Cross-Contamination of Foods:
Avoid eating food from unhygienic places like roadside vendors as they can cause stomach upset and infections. The risk of cross-contamination is very high in some cases. For example, cutting meat and immediately cutting vegetables with the same knife carries a higher chance of stomach infection and food poisoning. Avoid eating uncooked or undercooked meats to prevent infections. Do cut your fruits and vegetables just prior to eating and wash them well before you cut them. It is always an excellent option to avoid chutney and different sauces like tomato sauce and chili sauce from the roadside as they are not fresh. Avoid food prepared in an unclean way which can cause bacterial infections in kids. For example, consuming fruit juices from the street side where the vendor does not wash the glass properly.
3. Encourage Your Kid to Stay Hydrated:
Drinking reasonable amounts of fluids in the form of water, herbal teas, juice, coconut water, buttermilk, soups, and smoothies made of fruits and nuts provide the body with essential antioxidants to fight infections during the rainy season. It also helps the body stay hydrated and energetic, flush out the harmful toxins out of the system, and prevent problems like constipation in kids. In addition, sufficient fluids are necessary for better digestion and absorption of nutrients, providing better resistance power to our body.
4. Consume Lots of Fruits and Vegetables:
If you have weak immunity, you are more prone to falling sick. Eating fresh fruits and vegetables provide antioxidants and phytonutrients like vitamin C, vitamin A, zinc, and selenium, which help fight back infections and maintain good health. In addition, fruits can be cut into slices and dipped in yogurt dip to promote good gut flora.
5. Wear Appropriate Clothing:
Clothing has not always been given that important during the monsoons, except for the raincoats. But, it is essential that clothing is appropriate to prevent unwanted infections. The children should be taught not to wear damp clothes as it can lead to fungal infections. Even a small amount of dampness can bring about diseases and colds. Also, it should be made sure that raincoats are adequately washed and dried before usage. Encourage your children to wear loose clothes this season. Cotton clothes are not only well-suited for summer, but they also do have their roles in the rainy season. It helps the skin breathe, thus preventing the incidence of infections.
6. Avoid Playing in Stagnant Water:
Who can keep the kids away from playing in the water? Yes, splashing in the water and sailing paper boats in the stagnant water are enjoyable activities for kids during this monsoon. However, it is essential to note that these stagnant water sites are a significant breeding ground for mosquitoes, especially those that can bring about mosquito-borne infections like dengue, malaria, etc. Therefore, the children should be made aware of these and should be prevented from playing in these dirty puddles. After all, if your child has still managed to get his hands and legs on the muddy water puddles, do not forget to disinfect them yourself with soap and water.
7. Protect Your Child From Mosquitoes:
The rainy season is the time when the mosquitoes breed, thus increasing the transmission risk of diseases like malaria and dengue. Therefore, it is essential you protect your child from the bite of mosquitoes. Ask your child to wear full-sleeved shirts and long pants. Also, with the help of a healthcare practitioner’s advice, get a suitable mosquito repellant for your child. This also helps protect the child from mosquito bites. Also, use mosquito nets to cover your doors, windows, and beds.
8. Shift to Indoor Games:
Yes, of course, outdoor sporting activities are much needed for children. However, allowing children to play when the rain is hitting hard is not advisable as it can bring about several health issues. Therefore, ask your child to swap outdoor sports with indoor games when raining heavily. This impacts in reducing the occurrence of health problems during the rainy season.
9. Get Flu Jabs:
It is vital to get the flu vaccination for your child at the right time. Do not miss any flu shots for your child. This can help in protecting your child against influenza. Also, abstain your child from meeting infected individuals.
Conclusion:
Several health issues occur during the rainy season. Particularly, with children, the risk of acquiring diseases is increased. Hence, it is crucial to follow adequate measures to protect against their infections and diseases concerning the monsoons. Furthermore, educating the children about these is also pivotal in the protection process.
