rediffGURU Dr Deepa Suvarna, a practising paediatrician with over 25 years of experience, recommends simple lifestyle changes to improve your child's overall health.
Unfinished lunch boxes.
Frequent bouts of cold and coughs.
Picky eating habits and poor digestion...
These are common everyday worries for most parents.
rediffGURU Dr Deepa Suvarna, a practising paediatrician with over 25 years of experience, recommends simple lifestyle changes to improve your child's immunity, sleep and appetite.
- You can post your children's health-related questions for rediffGURU Dr Deepa Suvarna HERE.
Anonymous: My five-year-old son has been suffering from frequent colds and coughs almost every month.
He recovers with medicines but falls sick again within a few weeks.
We have tried allopathy and homoeopathy.
Could this be a sign of low immunity, allergy or something more serious?
What tests or lifestyle changes should I consider to improve his overall health?
Most likely, these are signs of frequent viral infections or allergic issues.
Maintain a balanced diet.
Enrol your son in a sport.
Ensure good sleep and no screen time before bedtime.
Anonymous: Our daughter is not gaining weight. She has weighed between 16 and 18 kg since she was four years old.
She is 7 now but she loves to play for long hours away from home.
She never says she is hungry unless we force-feed her.
She doesn't finish her school tiffin. But when she goes to birthday parties, she eats fries, pasta and enjoys herself with her friends.
According to her friend, she likes to eat from her friend's tiffin.
At home, she refuses to eat anything homemade.
We have tried different foods and cuisines but she doesn't like to eat anything at home.
What should we do?
You need to try different recipes to make her interested in healthy food.
Consult a dietician for meal plans.
Don't force-feed as it will just make your daughter hate food.
Anonymous: My daughter is three. She has been complaining of stomach pain on and off for the past six months.
Sometimes she has constipation, sometimes loose motions. Could this be IBS, food intolerance or a digestive infection? What warning signs should we watch out for?
You need to do a stool examination and a consultation with a paediatric gastroenterologist.
- You can post your children's health-related questions for rediffGURU Dr Deepa Suvarna HERE.
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