Cold, cough and flu seem like a fact of life for kids. The rainy season isn’t too friendly for little ones as they tend to fall sick more often. However, there are smart things you can do as parents to reduce the number of sick days. The healthy habits that you adopt today can go a long way in boosting your kid’s immunity. By opting for holistic health treatments, you won’t need to visit your paediatrician every time to get some antibiotics for your little ones.

Only last week I met with a very caring and vibrant mother, Mridula, who was worried sick about her kids’ health. I am sharing the highlights of our conversation that helped Mridula immensely and I am sure will help all the mothers who are worried about their kids’ health especially in this rainy season

Mridula: My son Sidharth’s health had been quite well until this rainy season where he keeps falling sick. I have tried everything. I don’t let him leave the house before literally laminating him from head to toe and I also make sure he eats well and gets enough sleep; but to no effect.

Dr Nidhi: I can understand your concern Mridula and what I got from your description is that your son has a weak immune system. If the immune system is week the health issue will always persist no matter the season.

Mridula: How do I build his immune system. He eats well and I also give him vitamin and calcium tablets to keep his body nutrients in check. What can we do beyond this?

Dr Nidhi: It’s good that your kid eats will but along with regular meals we also have to insure if the kid is getting all the nutrients necessary to build a good immune system. Here are 5 things that every mom must insure to boost their kids’ immunity.

1. Focus on Good Nutrition

a mother feeding her kid

We’ve all heard that you are what you eat. Inculcating healthy eating habits early on is extremely important to set the stage for good nutrition in the future. Try to serve ample of fruits and vegetables to your children. When kids are constantly bombarded with additives, preservatives or sugar, their immunity can take a hit. Sugar can also suppress immunity so try to minimize its use in your children’s meals. Holistic health care is all about healthy and nutritious meals, and it begins right from the time your child is a baby.

2. Boost Sleep Time

a  kid sleeping

Most children aren’t getting enough sleep because they are so involved in activities all through the day. Based on their age, children need nearly 10 to 14 hours of sleep on a daily basis. It’s not just the quantity, but the quality of sleep is important too. Children should sleep in the dark, unplugged, without any electronics. If your child is not taking any naps during the day, make sure to put them to bed early.

Since Sidharth is getting enough sleep I don’t think we have to worry on that front.

3. Exercise as a Family

a family on a trek

Integrated healthcare in Pune is all about eating right, exercising and being healthy as a family. Rather than urging kids to go outside and play, try to be a good role model and plan your family’s exercises together. You can go for bike rides, go for a mountain walk on a weekend, try some basketball or tennis or even plan a swimming class together. Your child needs at least 1-2 hours of physical activity every day to stay healthy.
So rather than sending Sidharth out all the time, I would suggest some good family outings where everyone can get some exercise and also family time.

4. Try Home-Remedies

homemade food served in a platter

If you want to opt for holistic health care and avoid medications as much as possible, there are various healthy food items you can include in your meals every day to help fight infections. Give your children ginger juice and honey twice a day. Consider adding some extra garlic to your cooking. Tulsi leaves are also great to enhance our body’s infection-fighting ability. You can crush them and give its juice with a teaspoon of honey to your children. Don’t forget to include fruits with Vitamin C like oranges, lemons and amla. Curd and fermented food contain probiotics which can protect your children’s gut and keep infections away.

5. Keep Things Clean

a boy playing in the swimming pool

Remember that germs and infections spread really fast. Teach your kids cleanliness from the time they are little. Simple things like washing hands, using soap, staying clean can go a long way in keeping infections away.

If you ensure these five things, you can be confident about your kid’s immunity and hence a good health.

Mridula: Thank you Dr Nidhi. The things that you have mentioned are easy to do and I can now figure out a diet plan for him and even put in some outings. However, could you tell me more about holistic health treatments?

Dr Nidhi: Holistic health treatments are all about natural ways to boost immunity and reduce the dependency on medicines. This will build your child’s capabilities to fight infections and make them healthier and happier. Integrated healthcare in Pune urges you to focus more on prevention rather than cure.

Mridula: That’s wonderful Dr Nidhi.

I hope this small conversation helped you figure out how you can work on the prevention part. For more information visit us at PHCC Integrated Healthcare.

Word of Caution – Usage of home remedies is not generalised! Please consult a doctor or nutritionist for consuming any of the above.