rediffGURU Dr Deepa Suvarna, a paediatrician with 25 years of experience, tells you how to take care of your child's health.
Does your child wake up multiple times at night and struggle to fall asleep?
Worried about her/his nutrition requirements?
How to deal with a toddler who is a fussy eater?
More importantly, how can you ensure your son or daughter gets their daily dose of protein and nutrients from a vegetarian diet?
rediffGURU Dr Deepa Suvarna, a paediatrician with over 25 years of experience, offers practical tips on how to take care of your child's overall health.
Anonymous: My son is active in athletics. We follow a vegetarian diet at home.
How can I ensure my 7-year-old is getting enough protein, iron, vitamin B12 and supplements necessary at this age?
What can I replace eggs and meat with?
Dairy products like milk, curds, cheese and paneer provide calcium.
Green veggies, especially leafy vegetables, are a good source of iron and vitamins.
Whole pulses like beans, soyabean, chana and moong provide protein.
Anonymous: My child wakes up multiple times at night and takes a long time to fall back asleep.
She is 2.5 years old.
Is this just a phase or could there be a sleep issue?
She should not be fed during the night when she wakes up; you can give her water if she asks.
Some studies advise letting the child go back to sleep on her own without any carrying, rocking, etc.
If the problem persists, then a sleep study is advisable to check for sleep apnea which could happen due to adenoid enlargement.
Anonymous: Our daughter is nine months old.
We have started solids but my toddler only wants to eat a few things and refuses everything else.
How can I encourage better variety without turning meals into a battle?
You may continue to offer only solids at meal times.
Don't get her used to a bottle in case she doesn't eat as that will become a habit
Try different foods and give her what you eat.
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