Child Eye Care

It is difficult for the parents to make their child to eat right food at right time. The most important thing providing your child with necessary nutrition for eye health. We all know that carrots and green leaves are best for eye sight. But our kids are not used to eat the same vegetables daily. So here is the list of so many other foods which support eye health. 

Eyes foremost need vitamin A. But other important eye-protecting nutrients are vitamin C, vitamin E, beta carotene and an antioxidant called lutein, which helps protect the eyes from free radical damage caused by the sun.

Berries:

Berries are important source of catechins, an antioxidant that supports the proper functioning of light reactive retinal tissue. It is packed with vitamin-C and so helps in preventing cataracts in the eyes.

Nuts:

Nuts are rich source of vitamin-E which supports the body's ability to absorb beta-carotene and other vitamins and minerals.

Sweet Potatoes:

It is rich in vitamin-A, beta carotene, potassium and fiber, just like carrots.

Oranges:

It is rich in vitamin-C and contain pottasium, fiber, calcium and folate.

Fish:

Essential fatty acids do your whole body good, including your eyes, by helping with visual development, retinal function, and possibly protecting against dry eye. Fish like salmon, tuna, mackerel, and anchovy are typically the best way to load up on essential fatty acids.

Eggs:

Egg yolk is another key source of the important eye pigments, lutein and zeaxanthin.

Honey

A commonly asked question when it comes to food for infants is about giving babies honey. Honey should never be given to children under the age of 12 months old.

As a natural sugar, honey may be a preferred sweetener for many health conscious mom. However, raw honey is not for everyone. It should not be given to infants under one year because of the rare possibility of being infected with the bacteria that causes botulism. Once a toddler reaches one year old, their digestive system is mature enough to kill any botulism germs.

Treating Cough with Honey:

If your child has a cough, try giving him honey before bed. The thick syrup coats and soothes the back of the throat, while the sweet taste causes salivation, which thins mucus and reduces the urge to cough.

Dosage:

For kids ages 1 to 5, start with a half teaspoon and for those 6 and up, offer one teaspoon.

Water for Babies

Lot of parents concerned about how much water a baby or toddler should drink. So lets discuss about such things here.

In general it is not good to feed water to the babies before 6 months. Breast milk and formula provides all the fluids they need. After the introduction of solid foods, water can be added to your baby's diet.

A child between the ages of one and three needs about 1.3 litres of fluids a day. This includes milk, juices, soups, water and other fluid items. Active toddlers need a lot of water to replace the fluid they lose, especially during warm or humid weather.

It is not a good idea to give your child more than the recommended amount of fluids per day. If you do so, it may cut his appetite for solid foods.

Hemoglobin

When we take our child to pediatrician for general health check up, they do hemoglobin test. If the hemoglobin count is lower than normal, then the child can develop iron deficiency anemia.

What is Hemoglobin?

Hemoglobin is a protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen. Every red blood cell in the body contains iron in its hemoglobin, the pigment that carries oxygen to the tissues from the lungs. The body needs iron to make hemoglobin. If there is not enough iron, hemoglobin production is limited, which in turn affects the production of red blood cells.

Iron deficiency anemia is caused by insufficient iron intake. To be healthy, growing children need a constant supply of iron.

Food Sources:

Iron is found in many plant and animal food sources. Iron from animal sources is called heme iron which can be absorbed by our body very easily. Iron from plant sources is called non-heme iron which is difficult to absorb. Our bodies can absorb non-heme iron when we eat it with foods that contain vitamin C (such as orange juice, citrus fruit) or when we eat it with sources of heme iron.

Breast milk contains enough iron to prevent anemia for the first 4 to 6 months of life. After this, babies need other sources of iron in their diet, such as iron fortified cereal, lentils, peas and beans.

Children and toddlers who drink a lot of milk or juice are at risk of iron deficiency anemia. Limit milk intake to 2 cups (450 ml), everyday.

Some tips that can help toddlers iron intake:

Chicken with broccoli,
Add dried peas or beans to soups.
Adding raisins to lunches, hot cereal.
Using whole-wheat or enriched breads and cereals.
Offering water for thirst in between meals and snacks.

Steamed Veggies

Steamed vegetables are good for health rather than eating cooked vegetables. Cooking vegetables in large amount of boiling water loss all the nutrients especially water soluble compounds that are easily damaged by heat. Steaming softens vegetables while maintaining most of their nutrients.

When the babies are ready to have solid foods, we can made a puree of steamed vegetables and feed to them. Once they are ready to chew and eat, we can serve them as it is. Almost all the vegetables, carrots, broccoli, spinach, green beans can be given to children since they are rich in both vitamin A and C.

Steaming can be done in a steamer, or in a microwave, or it can be done in a pan with a small amount of water. Add a very little amount of water in a pan. Clean and cut the vegetables and then add it in the pan with a little amount of salt. Allow it to steam for less than 5 mins by covering the pan with a lid. Then serve it with cheese or butter for children.

Turmeric Milk for Kids

For the past few days... very busy in packing all the things...  Really it is a tough job to move from one place to another with a kid.. Finally moved from California to Pittsburgh before one week. But my son got cold and cough due to the climatic changes. He had sore throat and i remembered about the turmeric milk. I gave this milk to him. Now he is ok..:)

We all know that turmeric has been used as a spice in Indian recipes. It has antibacterial properties and is also used to heal wounds. Combined with milk, turmeric is used as a drink, lotion or even a face mask.

Milk strengthens bones. Turmeric milk provides additional benefits to bone health. It is known to help people suffering from joint pains.

One of the biggest benefit of turmeric milk to me personally is during cough and cold. It strengthens the immune system and reduces the symptoms of asthma. Taking turmeric milk also helps in blood purification.

There are so many benefits of turmeric milk. Here is a simple recipe:

Ingredients:

Whole milk - 1 cup

Turmeric - 1/4 tsp

Pepper corns- 1 or 2

Heat the milk with the spices for 2 to 3 mins. Let it cool down until its warm. Strain and serve. 

 

First Aid Care for Minor Scrapes and Cuts

Children often get scrapes on their elbows and knees. Scrapes usually don't bleed  very much but can get infected. So it is necessary to give first aid for such kind of scrapes to avoid infection.

Here are some tips:

• Stop bleeding by pressing the wound with sterile dressing or clean, dry cloth.
• If bleeding is from an arm or leg, raise the arm or leg while pressing on the wound. Don't raise an arm or leg that is broken.
• Wash the wound with clean, running water. Carefully wash the area around the wound with soap and a soft wash cloth. Try to keep soap out of the wound to avoid irritation.
• Apply a bandage.
• If the scrape or cut is very dirty, your child may need a tetanus booster shot. Check with a medical provider if your child's last tetanus shot was more than 5 years ago.