Child Care: A Parental Priority!

Worrying about your child is simply part and parcel of being a parent or a caregiver. When it comes to child health care, your responsibility starts right from when your child is in the womb and doesn’t end even when they’re an adult who can take care of themselves! However, the part you play in ensuring that your kids are healthy from infancy and into adolescence, through their teenage years and finally into adulthood is key to their physical, mental and emotional well-being. 

The importance of child health care stems from the fact that children depend on you, as parents or caregivers, to protect them from diseases and mental conditions. Instilling the right habits when it comes to physical hygiene is also something you do at this stage to set them up for life. 

While you are sure to prioritize reproductive & child health care when you are expecting, give special attention to child oral health care from the very beginning too as it is directly linked to child health and nutrition. Don’t forget that mental health care for children also deserves your attention. To explore the different ways to address child health care, read on.

Opt for reproductive & child health care without delay

It is important for women and men to get their reproductive health checked regularly whether or not you plan to have a child. However, if you are expecting, consulting your Ob-Gyn is must from day 1. Make sure you follow their guidelines for your own health and for your child. Health care in this phase includes switching to a healthy and balanced diet, regularly visiting your doctor and tracking the growth of your baby and taking other precautions.

Once the child is born, consult a pediatrician to get their health parameters checked and fend off any abnormalities. It is important for a child to remain under the treatment of a pediatrician till they are 12-13 years old. This includes regular visits even when they aren’t ill as well as consultations to respond to symptoms like fever, cold, cough and more.

Pay special attention to their oral health

As part of child oral health care, the first thing to do is to develop a healthy diet routine for your child. Make sure to include lots of vitamins, minerals and fiber in their meals, while reducing added sugar as much as possible. 

You can give your child fun dental care goals like:

• Choosing their own toothbrush
• Brushing twice a day for at least 2 minutes
• Following the way you brush while they do the same
• Avoiding sugary products as much as possible

When your child follows these tips meticulously, you can praise them for their efforts, and reward them with something simple but memorable as a gesture of recognition. This will boost their self-esteem, and they will understand the value of healthy lifestyle.

Prioritize nutrition for the child’s well-being

In order to give your child the best nutrition, it is important to understand that the process needs to begin immediately after the child is conceived. In this phase, the child gets nutrition directly from the mother, and grows in the womb. After they are born, they get it from their mother through breastmilk for the first six months, and after that they start consuming other foods. Take a look at ideal diet of a mother before and after delivery, and how a child can be introduced to other foods beyond breastmilk.

• Diet of a mother before and after the delivery
• Eggs
• Leafy vegetables and broccoli
• Whole grains
• Berries
• Lean proteins
• Legumes
• Plenty of water
• Avocadoes
• Fish liver oil
• Dairy products
• Dried fruits
• Salmon
• Sweet potato
• Diet of a child aged more than six months
• Breastmilk
• Other whole fat dairy products
• Fruits and vegetables
• Poultry
• Fish
• Whole grains
• Leafy vegetables and beans (for added fiber)

Once your child reaches 2 years, you can introduce them to fat-free or low-fat dairy foods. Here are some items that your child needs to avoid or limit:

• Refined carbs
• Salt
• Trans fats
• Sugar

Give your child a chance to boost their mental well-being

Mental health care for children is an extremely important part of overall child health care. You can develop good mental health in your child with the help of the following strategies:

• Encourage them to make friends with other children, play with them, and do other fun activities to keep themselves agile and engaged
• Avoid making negative remarks on the child’s performance 
• Express your pride for them for their good deeds
• Make sure to teach your child about discipline
• Be there for your child whenever they need your support 
• Set realistic goals on the basis of your child’s strong suits and ambitions

If your child shows symptoms of mental health issues, make sure to consult a professional immediately. You may notice the following symptoms in them:

• Sudden deterioration of performance in academics and other activities
• Lack of will to mingle with other children
• Changes in appetite
• Lack of sleep and nightmares
• Mood swings
• Strong avoidance of things that they once considered a favorite
• Restlessness and drop in energy levels

By giving all aspects of child health care your attention, you can give your little ones a better chance at a dignified, happy, and satisfying life. Being proactive is key to addressing any of their concerns at the right time. To do this with ease, you can rely on Bajaj Finserv Health. 

Find the best obstetricians and pediatricians in your locality or chose them based on parameters like their degree, experience, availability, languages known, and more with ease on our platform or app. Book teleconsultations or in-person visits when needed in minutes. 

Overall, you can consult with 8,400+ doctors across 45+ specialties via teleconsultation in 17+ languages. You can also find doctors available on the platform throughout the day. To give your child comprehensive health coverage, you can also sign up for any of the Complete Health Solution health insurance plans from Aarogya Care. They cover up to 4 kids and 2 adults for up to Rs.10 lakh and offer benefits like network discounts, reimbursements on lab tests and doctor visits, unlimited teleconsultations and more.