-Dr. (Major) K. Gopinath

My son has just started in-person schooling. But with the onset of the monsoon, he is catching colds frequently. What precautions should he take?
— Hitika Ravi, Hyderabad
With the reopening of schools and onset of monsoons, common cold infections among children are on the rise. Symptoms include mild fever, rhinorrhea, watery eyes, sore throat, and nasal blocks.

Here are some things you can do to alleviate common cold infections:

• Use paracetamol syrup (weight appropriate dosage) for fever and headaches
• Keep him well-hydrated and serve small frequent meals
• Avoid use of over-the-counter colds medication
• Provide warm humidified air
• Use saline nasal drops to relieve nasal block
• For sore throat, try sips of lukewarm water
• If the fever is persistent, and he is not feeding well or suffering ear pain, consult a pediatrician

Also, make sure you follow these precautions:

• Encourage him to wash hands with soap and water frequently. Use hand sanitizer when hand wash is not possible
• Instruct him to avoid touching his eyes, mouth and nose
• Don’t send him to school until he recovers fully
• Provide a well-balanced diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables to boost the immune system

My four-year-old son is very fussy about food. He hates eating fruits and vegetables. Please advise.
— Rakshita Selvam, Chennai
“My child is not eating enough” — is the most common complaint of parents. Mostly, it’s because a parent is never satisfied with her child’s food intake even if it’s nutritionally adequate. Please understand that a child is an independent individual with a mind of his own. If he is healthy, assume that he is eating right and enough.
All you need to do is provide a balanced diet, adhere to fixed meal timing and encourage him to eat on his own without spoon-feeding. Force feeding will predispose him to poor food habits and lifestyle diseases in the long run. Nevertheless if you still feel your child is not eating well, consult a pediatrician.

My six-year-old daughter is very active and healthy. She eats well too, but is underweight — 16 kgs. Is this a matter of concern?
— Ridhima Barker, Mumbai
If your daughter is active and healthy, even if she is underweight, you don’t need to worry. Every child is unique and even siblings have different growth patterns.

You can include calorie rich foods such as bananas, dry fruits, kheer (made of jaggery and rice), paneer and cheese and ghee in her daily diet. Also encourage her to play outdoors at least for an hour to stimulate appetite.
If there is no improvement in her weight after making dietary changes, then we need to investigate her for worm infestation, anemia or any organic causes of low weight.

My three-year-old daughter develops red rashes on her skin when she is exposed to sunlight for a long time. I use cold creams to soothe her skin and the rashes usually go away in a day or two. Is this normal?
— Neelam Gupta, Delhi
Skin rash because of prolonged exposure to sunlight is known as photosensitivity. Since you mention that the rashes subside in a day or two, the cause is more likely to be polymorphous light eruption. This is a common and benign condition. Use physical barriers such as umbrellas, hats, and light-coloured clothes to protect her when outdoors and moisturizer as well. If that doesn’t suffice, apply a sunscreen recommended by a dermatologist. Usually, children outgrow this condition with age.

(Dr. (Major) K. Gopinath is a consultant paediatrician at Aarush Children’s Clinic, Hyderabad)