When even adults are struggling in this heat, keeping children healthy is a challenge. Every parent should take extra care of their child now, and especially keep an eye on their diet.

In the heat, many children like ice cream, cold drinks, water from the fridge and various other foods. But they should be kept away from these.

Children should also be kept from going out or playing in the sun, and from staying in sweaty clothes for long, among other things. For example:

Because their children will not eat, many parents indulge them with tasty snacks or junk food. Don't make this mistake. Even if your child asks for these foods, keep them away.

Unhealthy food can make children ill in this heat. Because children have weaker immunity, it can lead to health problems such as diarrhoea, fatty liver or seasonal flu.

To break this habit, make nutritious but tasty food for your child at home and help them get to know its taste. Draw up a balanced diet for your child.

Include healthy meals, snacks, fruit and vegetables in their diet. Never give your child junk food to please them; keep them away from it. That way your child will stay healthy in every season.

Since children love to play, let them play indoors. Do not let your child go out to play in the sun in this heat. Excessive sweating and sunburn can make a child ill.

If necessary, you can take them out in the late afternoon, but make sure the child does not sweat too much. And don't keep your child in sweaty clothes for long, as this raises the risk of prickly heat and other skin conditions.

Protein-rich food is naturally heavy. Parents need to be careful when feeding children fish or chicken dishes, because these foods can raise children's body heat further in the summer. When body heat rises, they sweat more.

Excess sweating can cause skin inflammation, rashes or other health problems. Instead, give children more greens and fruit to lower their body heat.

Another good option is yoghurt, which is rich in protein, aids digestion, boosts immunity and helps lower body heat. Giving children green coconut water regularly will also keep their bodies cool.

Not only children but adults too should avoid spicy food in the heat. Spicy food can heat up a child's body, especially in summer.

Children should avoid spicy food because it can cause dehydration or acidity. Even if they like spicy food, follow it with cooling foods such as mint, cucumber, coconut water and yoghurt.

Carbonated drinks are in high demand in the heat. Tasty as they are, do not give them to your child. They are very harmful to a child's health.

Drinking them regularly can lead to obesity and other long-term health problems in children. So keep them away from carbonated drinks and give them plenty of water and fresh fruit juice instead.

Every parent must make sure their child does not become malnourished. For this, make sure the child's body gets 21 essential vitamins, electrolytes, minerals, 100 per cent of the RDA of D3, calcium, protein and iron.

In this heat, a glass of cold milk will give a child plenty of essential nutrients and keep them hydrated. To keep a child healthy in the summer, it is important to avoid unhealthy food and protect them from the heat.

Citing Gritzo.com.

Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.