Comprehensive Guidance for Preparing your Kids for Possible COVID 3rd Wave
As we emerge from the 2nd wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, speculations are already rife about the possibility of a 3rd wave hitting the country as early as September. While we will do all we can to keep ourselves and our little ones safe, the experts say it is time now to prepare the children to fight the virus as well.
With a possibility that the virus may be tougher on the little ones this time, it makes sense to get the immunity and health of your bundle of energy up and strong. Safe-O-Kid has taken the initiative to not just help you keep your little one safe from physical dangers of the world but also the ones that you cannot see, which is why we have here a set of expert advices that you can choose to follow for your child and get them ready to remain healthy and keep the infection at bay even if there is a 3rd wave.
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Dr. Puja Vashisht
Here is your guide to a healthy diet from a well-known and reliable dietician, when you want to keep COVID-19 at bay and keep your children safe from an infection as the 3rd wave of the pandemic inches closer. Here are a few of the advises that the nutrition expert gave us:
Key Points:
- COVID can have long term effects on children just like in adults
- Holistic approach is important in combining exercise & nutrition
- Essential to build immunity to fight the infection & it ensures speedy recovery also
- Children need to be more active
- Reduce weight in a healthy manner if child suffers from obesity
- Avoid packaged food and give fresh home cooked food
- Form of food changes with age division but the nutritional requirement remains the same
Dr. Reena Arora
Learn all about Ayurvedic measures and the Ayush Ministry COVID-19 advisory to ensure safety from the COVID-19 pandemic's 3rd wave for yourself as well as your little ones. Here's an excerpt of the chat we had with the Ayurveda specialist:
Key Points:
- Drink Hot Water
- Practice Yoga, Pranayama, meditation for at least half an hour
- Staying positive makes immunity better
- Turmeric milk once or twice a day with dry ginger powder
- Oil pulling therapy: Gargle with one spoon oil followed by gargle with hot water
- Eat only when absolutely hungry
- Post COVID: Eat Light easily digestible food
- Children also need to wear masks, COVID appropriate behavior
- Kids with genetic ailments or co-morbidities to consult an Ayurvedic doctor
Dr. Ravi Bharadwaj
Learn about the imminent 3rd wave of COVID-19 from a leading pediatrician and find ways to keep your child safe from an infection. Here is an idea of all the valuable information that the child specialist gave:
Key Points:
- Parents should consider nutritionally optimizing children as being underweight or overweight is dangerous.
- Adequate sleep is needed to maintain immunity. Sleep deprived children more prone.
- Children with vitamin or zinc deficiencies can be given supplements.
- If fever is persistent after 3-4 days in COVID oxygen is lower than 94, or difficulty in breathing, and if there is a co-morbidity such as heart, kidney, cancer, asthma problems and if kid is losing appetite, lack of urine, then they need to take consultation immediately.
- Obesity has a strong association with severe infection.
- Avoid junk, fried, sugary foods and drinks.
- Increase expenditure by play, walk, run, jog, cycle or any physical activity.
- Undernourishment happens because children do not get enough food, frequent feeding needed in such cases.
- Balanced diet with adequate proteins.
- Need to keep stress at bay in adults and children.
Dr. Mahesh Mann
The Yoga guru helps you learn about tips and tricks to keep your children safe from the 3rd wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in a fun and healthy way. Here's a list of some tips that the Yoga expert shared with us:
Key Points:
- Sedentary lifestyle leads to lowered immunity but children can be safeguarded with Yoga.
- Yoga helps children gain not just physical immunity but also mental strength
- Children having any pre-existing conditions relating to the eyes, neck, back or knee, need to consult a doctor before starting Yoga practice.
- Meditation and Pranayam can prove to be helpful
- Children should be allowed to practice as much as they can according to their capacity
- Forcing the children to do Yoga is not advisable
Dr. Shikha Singhal
The expert and experienced Homeopathy specialist enlightens you about the dangers of the COVID-19 3rd wave and how they may affect children the most. Get to know a little about the precautionary measures advised by Dr. Shika, that you can take to keep your little ones safe from an infection:
Key Points:
- 3rd wave seems inevitable and could strike as early as September or October this year
- Homeopathy can help in building immunity.
- The children need to be engaged positively and made aware about the importance of remaining indoors.
- They should also be told about the importance of social distancing and other COVID protocol.
- If a child is suffering from congenital or autoimmune disorders, it should be communicated to the consulting homeopathy specialist.
- Consultant needs to be told if an ailment is being treated through any other means such as allopathy or Ayurveda so that there are no clashes in treatment.
- Mothers of infants right up to 3 years, need to ensure their own health and hygiene to prevent infection to baby.
- Lot of indoor activities for physical movement in children should be included.
Dr. Kriti Vashist
Hear what a renowned and accomplished child psychologist has to say about the 3rd Wave of COVID-19 and how it may affect the mental health of children. Learn, gain awareness and keep your little ones safe! Here is a gist of what the mental health expert had to say:
Key Points:
- The pandemic is affecting the mental health of not just children but adults as well.
- Parents need to be mentally healthy so that they can positively influence the children.
- If a child gets infected they should be shielded from exposure to media, social media and other sources of information that may not provide accurate and age appropriate information.
- There is a fine line between creating fear in the mind of a child and preparing them for a situation.
- Lockdown has cut down on physical activity or exercise, which is why children may gain weight uncontrollably.
- Be patient with them as they tend to get aggressive and attention seeking when they feel agitated.
- Parents can make a family routine including the child to keep them engaged and mentally healthy and happy.
- Channelize their energy to keep them from developing mental disorders such as ADHD.
Vishwajeet Mishra
Help your children get fit and healthy in a fun way by taking up exercise to stay safe from a COVID-19 infection during the speculated 3rd wave. Here are a few extracts of what the fitness specialist told us about fitness in children and its co-relation with COVID-19
Key Points:
- More physical activity increases blood flow and oxygen is balanced, blood cells also work better including white blood cells that drive immunity
- Form follows function. The way you remain active, your body structure will also follow
- Stronger and denser bones are formed when playing, pushing, pulling etc.
- Since, schools are closed weight gain happens and obesity becomes a possibility
- Infant to Toddlers can be given 'Tummy time' it helps lungs expand better and breathe well
- 2-3 yr olds need at least 30 mins of structured activity, with adult supervision & 60 mins of free activity
- 3-5 yrs olds' motor skills are developed but not very refined. Hone their co-ordination skills
- Their energy increases manifold, they can do 3-4 hours of activity every day
- Ensure safety in the house where children get hurt. Give them a lot of space
