Parents want what’s best for their children, and one of the most frequently encountered problems for moms and dads is when their child falls ill. You can’t avoid your kids catching colds and tummy bugs, but it’s distressing to see them unhappy and in pain.
Illness is good for kids
That might sound like a contradiction, but in fact, experiencing childhood illness is an essential element of your child’s long term health. Their growing immune systems need to experience a range of different types of bacteria and viruses in order to develop defenses against them. A child who has never been ill will have a weakened immune system that may not be able to fight off a severe illness, so if you’re tempted to wrap your children in cotton wool, think again.
Healthy lifestyle
Eating a healthy diet and getting plenty of exercise is just as important for kids as it is for adults. Access to unhealthy snacks is so easy that it encourages kids to eat candy and chips, and the increase in indoor based entertainments like TV and gaming means many kids don’t get much exercise.
You need to encourage your kids to be as active as possible, taking them out for walks and bike rides, going swimming, doing dance, gymnastics, or martial arts, or whatever else they take a fancy to! Get them to help you in the garden, and make all these activities as enjoyable as possible to show them how much fun physical exercise can be.
Take a look at what they’re eating, and if you can see they’re not getting their five a day, for instance, have a think about how to increase their intake of fruits and vegetables. Disguising them in pasta sauces is one proven method, and you’ll find plenty of books and websites offering other hints for getting kids to eat their greens. You might have more luck with fruit, as children tend to enjoy fruit more, but try as many different foods and recipes as you can to help you find the ones that your child will eat.
Looking after a sick child
When your kids do get ill, make sure you know what warning signs to look for that might indicate a more serious illness. If you’re in any doubt, you can call your family doctor for advice. For most childhood illnesses, rest, plenty of fluids, and some TLC will see them back to normal in no time. In the unfortunate event that your child became ill or was made worse by misdiagnosis or negligence on the part of their healthcare provider, contact a specialist solicitor like Minton Morrill for expert advice on whether you have a valid claim for compensation.
You won’t be able to protect your child from every injury or illness, and as already noted, it wouldn’t be good for them if you did. As long as you know how to prevent problems such as childhood obesity, and give your child the best of care when they do get sick, you’ll have a healthy happy child who’ll grow into a strong, healthy adult.
Leave a Reply