The rains are here and with it the woes – waterlogging and illnesses – to name a few. The India Meteorological Department has said that the monsoon over Haryana and Delhi is ‘vigorous’. This means that we can’t become lax and not take precautions from before, especially when children are involved.
With schools opening, and rain Gods unleashing their power, it is time to follow the adage: Prevention is better than cure. According to Dr Abhijit V Mhapankar, Consultant Paediatrician and Neonatologist & visiting Consultant at Terna Speciality Hospital, Nerul, and Apollo Hospital, Navi Mumbai the most common diseases that are found in kids are tummy upsets – acute gastroenteritis and diarrhoea to name a few.
“Parents must ensure that their child is vaccinated against typhoid and Hepatitis A vaccination. In addition to this, every child and even adults must take the influenza vaccine. They must inculcate good hygiene habits in their children. Kids must be taught to wash their hands at regular intervals, especially before eating their meal”
–Dr Abhijit V Mhapankar, Consultant Paediatrician and Neonatologist & visiting Consultant at Terna Speciality Hospital, Nerul, and Apollo Hospital, Navi Mumbai
“This happens due to the contaminated water that the child may have drunk. Another reason for these issues is not following proper hand hygiene during monsoons. Respiratory tract infections are also common during this season. This is particularly common in small kids going to school; they pass on the infection to other kids and it spreads. Children around the age of five and going to school for the first time are more vulnerable during this season,” Dr Mhapankar said and added that vector-borne diseases like malaria and dengue are a bane during this season.
Immunisation must
Dr Mhapankar stressed the need for immunisation “Parents must ensure that their child is vaccinated against typhoid and Hepatitis A vaccination. In addition to this, every child and even adults must take the influenza vaccine especially before the pre-monsoon showers (which is April). Influenza vaccine can also be taken in October,” Dr Mhapankar opined, whose daughter just passed out of Apeejay School, Nerul.
Tips for parents
“Parents must inculcate good hygiene habits in their children. Kids must be taught to wash their hands at regular intervals, especially before eating their meal,” Dr Mhapankar advised and shared some dos and don’ts.
Dos
1. Kids must wash their hands before eating anything.
2. Wash their hands after using the washroom.
3. Parents should cut the nails of toddlers – the space between the nails can harbor lots of germs and lead to tummy infections during this season.
4. Consume clean drinking water.
5. Parents should give their kids home cooked food.
6. To prevent malaria and dengue, kids should wear full sleeve shirts and full pants while stepping out of the house.
7. If the child is at home, use an electronic mosquito repellent.
8. Mosquito patches to be only used by children who are above the age of 10.
9. Prevent stagnation of water around the surroundings. If the family uses an air cooler, it must be cleaned every few days to prevent mosquitoes from breeding.
10. A common place where water stagnates is plants. Drain the water properly.
Don’ts
1. Eat out from kiosks.
2. Eat open and cut fruits from a vendor. Only eat fruits that are freshly cut at home.
3. Kids should not be given raw vegetables like cucumber and carrots during the rainy season.
4. To keep mosquitoes at bay, don’t use the ones that smoke; it can trigger allergies. 5. Do not drink water if the source is unknown.
Shalini is an Executive Editor with Apeejay Newsroom. With a PG Diploma in Business Management and Industrial Administration and an MA in Mass Communication, she was a former Associate Editor with News9live. She has worked on varied topics - from news-based to feature articles.
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