Taking better care of my child...

Parents, pay attention to these important considerations about your children's health.

Topics that can contribute to improving the health of our “little ones” are always of interest (or should be); in keeping with this noble line, I will try to provide simple, objective and usually very effective tips below (remaining at the reader's disposal for future debate/clarification, as always); therefore, far from pretending to be a “complete and absolute guide” (which is impossible) for taking total care of children's health, I will offer some suggestions and reflections that I think are opportune and necessary - many of them useful for all ages and still quite neglected in everyday life:

✅ Children respond much more to example than to mere words, so improve YOUR overall lifestyle and your child will be much more likely to follow what they see, in practice, on a daily basis (icaro.med.br/60dicas).

Don't wait until your child is thirsty to offer them water or hungry to feed them, as thirst and hunger appear when there is already dehydration and malnutrition, respectively. From an early age, get your child used to the regularity of basic fluid and food intake, and the necessary routines will be much easier for them in the future.

Most of your child's daily fluid intake should be water itself; juices, teas and so on should be complements and not the main sources of hydration.

Avoid sweets, soft drinks (even light ones) and “bad fats” (saturated and trans fats) in your child's diet as much as possible. Of course, any “abuse” of these substances ends up being part of childhood and life for all of us, but when they are used frequently, there are plenty of studies showing that these products are very bad for your health. Once again, the tip here is to avoid excesses of anything and remember that a body that is well looked after on a daily basis is much better able to cope with occasional “binges”.

Quality food should be the rule and not the exception (I won't go into details here because I'm not a nutritionist) and should include a daily intake of fiber. Children don't usually like leaves, vegetables and some fruit, but there are always options. Sometimes it's hard to find them, but if they're not encouraged early on, they're unlikely to acquire good habits in the future. For very useful and practical tips on improving your diet, go to: https://icaro.med.br/alimentacao/.

✅ Children should be encouraged to use up energy every day, either by playing or by exercising, as a sedentary lifestyle is causing illness at an increasingly early age. The reason is that our children spend more and more time on the internet, playing video games or watching television, none of which exercises their muscles or improves their blood circulation. As a result, we see more and more childhood obesity, infectious/”allergic” diseases (due to an imbalance in the immune system) and even an increase in cholesterol/triglycerides.

Children's skin is much more sensitive to inadequate exposure to the sun, and although their body's resistance (and ability to recover in general) is much greater, let's remember that the damage caused by solar radiation is cumulative and is all the worse the earlier (and less protected) this exposure is. However, children also need regular sun exposure.

Yes, children also develop and can suffer from stress. Therefore, excessive demands, activities and food can overwhelm them and easily cause or maintain symptoms or even illnesses. A good psychologist can always help, either to identify problems or to help treat them.

Give your child as much time and attention as possible: raise your child yourself. They can have the best teachers, babysitters/employees, extracurricular activities, books, toys and resources. However, none of this replaces the attention, affection and love they need from their parents. This is fundamental to forming healthy references of what is masculine and feminine, which will carry on throughout their lives, directly affecting their development, values and future.

Be aware of children and the constant possibility of them being involved in accidents, whether domestic or not. In a few seconds, they can run into the street, insert an object into one of the holes in their body, put their finger in the socket, ingest liquid from a handy container, burn themselves on a lit flame, among other dangers. However, scolding alone may not do much good. Ideally, you should always try to explain the reason for the “ban” and what could happen if they do something wrong or disobey. Remember that, as your child grows up, their capacity for argument and reflection will only increase, so that they will no longer passively accept what is merely imposed, without any justification that is acceptable to them.

Nothing replaces good pediatrician follow-up, which should be regular, at least annually. I also strongly recommend early dental and nutritional care.

Children with good lifestyle habits get sick less often and, when they do, less seriously, for less time and with less discomfort, responding better to treatment. Good habits should be encouraged continuously, but their adoption can be gradual, respecting the child's pace. These habits are fundamental: icaro.med.br/12habitos.

✅ A child is not a mini-adult, much less a faithful copy of their parents. Nor should they be (did I really need to remind you of that?). Watch your expectations and keep them in check, so as not to frustrate them or your child, who has a lot to learn and live for, with quality depending on the guidance you can get.

Finally, let's remember that behind a child's health (or illness) there is always a “responsible” adult, or maybe not. Which one are you in the life of your child, nephew, pupil or similar?