Health tips for kids during Monsoon

I have been out of action from the blog for the past week not because of a writer’s block but due to a nasty stomach infection. If that was not enough my daughter also suffered the same misfortune and was bedridden with the stomach bug for the past one week. The agonizing stomach pain, the diarrhea, the fever and the puking- my little one suffered it all and it was heartbreaking for me to see her in such pain. It was befitting then that I write my latest post on health tips for kids during monsoon.

Monsoons mean heavy rains, beautiful weather, that gorgeous smell of the wet earth but the rains also bring along with them clogged drains, murky water and all kinds of diseases. Here are some health tips to ensure good health of child during the monsoon season.

Food

We all know that it is best to avoid street food during the monsoons but there are other precautions related to food that we must follow. The rains lead to a higher humidity and therefore help in faster breeding of bacteria and germs.

Wash all vegetables especially the green leafy ones thoroughly as they are prone to worms and larvae during this season. Do not eat any cut fruits or vegetables from outside. It is best to avoid oily and fried food and eat light, easily digested healthy food. The best vegetables in the season are Okra, Bottle Gourd, Bitter Gourd, Pointed gourd, Eggplant and Yams.  Non-vegetarians should reduce their intake of meat because it is not easily digested and also the freshness of the meat is often questionable.

 It is best not to feed leftovers to kids but if absolutely necessary then refrigerate food properly and when using reheat it thoroughly before consuming.

Water

We all know that monsoon often leads to mixing of pipe water with sewage  (yuck I know but true nevertheless). It is essential that you give boiled and filtered water to kids in the monsoon. It is also essential to drink lots of water to keep kids hydrated as due to the humidity there is profuse sweating.

Since the climate is changing and the temperatures are varying it is best to avoid cold water which will lead to cough and cold. 

Juices from street vendors is an absolute no-no not only because the water may be contaminated but also the fruits might be infected.

Hygiene and cleanliness

Humidity is also a precursor to a lot of skin infections so it is a must to ensure proper hygiene during the rainy season. Use an antibacterial soap to bathe children. It is imperative to dry their skin completely after bath because any moisture between the skin folds might lead to fungal infections, so towel them thoroughly.

Since kids love to jump in muddy puddles during the rains, make sure that the kids wash their hair, feet and hands once home. In fact it is best to wash their hands frequently. Wash the kids’ clothes properly and even more importantly dry them thoroughly. Moist and damp clothes mean higher chances of skin infections. 

Kids should wear shoes in which water doesn’t get trapped, gumboots and sandals are the way to go.

Cut their nails short as nails gather a lot of dirt and if kids are into biting then it will surely lead to infections. Monsoon is also the season of eye diseases like Conjunctivitis so ensure that kids don’t share any handkerchiefs or towels with friends.

Water clogging also makes an excellent breeding ground for mosquitoes and diseases like Dengue and Malaria are common in this season. Use mosquito repellents at home and apply a topical cream too to prevent mosquito bites.

I hope these tips help you in keeping the bugs at bay and lets your

child enjoy the rainy season to the fullest.