After reading about the rising cases of common childhood diseases in the USA, you’re probably wondering about the best way to protect your kids. Like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report, the right diet can keep your child safe from getting ailments that increasingly younger kids are developing. In addition to protecting your kids from getting sick, you can also ensure that they perform well academically, show optimum growth levels, and have fewer behavioral problems.
All of This is Possible! Simply by Ensuring the Right Diet
If you aren’t quite sure about how to balance your kids’ meals, check out the 2015–2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans that clearly define what an optimum meal must have. Like, for instance,
- Adequate amounts of fruits and vegetables that provide essential vitamins and minerals
- Whole grains or carbohydrates that provide energy for daily activities
- Low-fat dairy products that provide calcium, potassium, magnesium and other minerals essential for bone development
- Proteins that contain essential amino acids that promote proper growth
- Oils and fats that are essential for the normal functioning of the body.
By making sure they eat right, you can boost your kids’ immunity levels and help them better resist common childhood diseases. Further, in case they do fall sick, the right nutrition can help children recover faster. At the same time, it is understandable that with your packed schedule and myriad professional and personal commitments, you don’t have the time to shop and cook balanced meals. The solution is simple. Look for a healthy food delivery near you, choose the right dishes from their extensive menu, and place orders.
Children are Prone to Various Ailments as They Grow
In today’s times, common childhood diseases include both communicable and non-communicable ailments. Communicable ailments are those that your child may pick up from the other kids in school, because of seasonal changes, or simply viruses in the air. Non-communicable diseases are the ones that your children may be born with like for instance, food allergies, or others that they acquire because of poor eating habits. Here are some of the illnesses you may find yourself dealing with more often than others.
1. Obesity
Like the National Center for Biotechnology Information reports, many kids all over the world start to become obese at 2 years of age because of the intake of the wrong kind of food. This phenomenon is not just restricted to the developed countries, but there are rising cases in developing nations too. While obesity by itself is a huge problem that can lead to other health issues, overweight children are also likely to show stunted growth. The excess weight results in a failure to gain height. Prevent this from happening to your child by carefully monitoring the intake of sweets, fats, and refined carbohydrates. Take your child for regular checkups to the pediatrician to check weight and height levels.
2. Anemia or the Deficiency of Iron
Although not a common childhood disease, parents need to be aware of the possibility of anemia in their kids. Anemia is a condition where there are insufficient red blood cells in the child’s body. This condition typically occurs among children who are weaning away from a milk diet to adult food. Cow’s milk does not have adequate iron and kids must get the supply they need from foods like legumes, raisins, iron-rich dark green leafy vegetables, poultry, meats, fish, and eggs.
Another reason that for anemia that Livestrong has noted is children’s refusal to eat certain foods. When kids are picky about eating, providing proper nutrition can become a huge challenge. Until the time when your kids learn to eat all the food you put before them, you may want to talk to your pediatrician about the feasibility of giving them iron supplements.
3. Dental Cavities
Getting dental cavities is one of the most common childhood disease today. And, younger children are developing the affliction while they still have their milk teeth. This condition can be avoided by keeping a close watch on the sugars and carbs your child consumes. Focus more on fruits and vegetables, and work with your dentist to understand proper dental care for kids as young as 2 years of age.
Shahrbanoo Fadavi, DDS, MS is the lead author of the report published in the General Dentistry, the Academy of General Dentistry’s peer-reviewed clinical journal. She says, “Parents often put their child to bed with a bottle containing milk or sugary juice. The child then falls asleep leaving teeth susceptible to acid-forming bacteria that develops into cavities.”
She goes on to add, “Learning about proper oral care should be just as much of a priority as prenatal care. Parents-to-be should take the initiative and ask health care professionals about a baby’s oral health.”
4. Food Allergies and Intolerance to Certain Foods
When kids can’t digest certain foods or they fall ill after eating them, that’s a form of food allergy or intolerance. Children can be allergic to gluten, nuts, lactose containing foods, soy, or any other. If you notice a problem, you may want to work with your pediatrician to add supplements or other foods in your child’s diet. For instance, if your child cannot eat dairy products or drink regular milk, substitute with other foods that are rich in calcium.
Proper Nutrition is the Key to Managing Communicable Diseases Also
Aside from these common childhood diseases, your child could contract various communicable ailments. Such issues are a normal part of growing up and the best you can do is to fortify your child’s natural immunity with a nutritious diet, regular vaccinations, and other measures of hygiene that your pediatrician recommends. And, when your children do fall ill, the healthy food you give them will help with the recovery so they get back their strength quickly.
As parents, you can’t really protect your kids from all kinds of illnesses. The best you can do is to give them the best diet possible and they’re sure to thrive.
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