Summer is a time of fun, vacation and outdoor gaming with freedom from the school routine. However, it will also bring a significant number of challenges specifically for the health of the kids. The Paediatric gastroenterologists will usually observe a seasonal rise in cases of diarrhoea, food poisoning, dehydration and other digestive problems among the kids due to the changes in the season. So, in this particular case, it is very much recommended that people shift the focus to the practical precautions which they can take to prevent the kids from digestive health-related issues and make sure that everybody will be able to enjoy summer in a very healthy and safe manner.
Following are the practical suggestions that you need to take into consideration:
- Hydration is the key to success: One of the critical concerns during the summer is dehydration and this could be specifically due to excessive sweating, an increase in physical activity and a very high element of fluid loss through vomiting or diarrhoea. Children particularly the young ones will be much more susceptible to the problem of dehydration because their bodies will not be able to conserve the water as efficiently as the adults. So, parents in this particular case must always focus on encouraging the kids to drink plenty of fluids throughout the day even if they are not at all thirsty. Water is the best choice but in addition to this going for oral hydration solutions like ORS is a very good idea for you so that things are very well sorted out and you will be able to ensure that kids will be able to restore their electrolyte balance. It is recommended to avoid any kind of carbonated drinks because they will irritate the bowel system and will lead to a significant number of issues by worsening dehydration conditions.
- Practising safe food practices: The heat of the summer will usually accelerate the spoilage of the food and will increase the risk of foodborne illnesses like bacterial gastroenteritis. So, in this particular case you need to be very clear about the element of food hygiene and avoiding street food is very much recommended specifically ice-based drinks from unknown sources. Additionally, you should also ensure that all of the perishable food items are properly refrigerated so that there is no scope for any kind of problem and the things are very well sorted out. Packaging safe and dry snacks like nuts and homemade granola bars while travelling is very much recommended to avoid any kind of problem and exposure to unhealthy snacks. Furthermore for infants and toddlers, providing them with homemade food should be the basic precaution that everybody should take so that there is no scope for any kind of problem.
- Practising hand hygiene: Another very important point that you need to take very seriously as suggested by doctors at best hospital for pediatric gastroenterology is to be clear about hand hygiene because children usually are very curious and they will be exploring the environment through their hands. This will increase the risk of digesting the harmful pathogen whenever they put their hands into their mouth. Teaching the proper handwashing techniques to the kids will be very important before eating and after using the bathroom so that the risk of Gastrointestinal infections will be bare minimum throughout the process. Learning the art of using soap and water properly and additionally using alcohol-based sanitisers will be very important so that there is no scope for any kind of issues. Reinforcing all such habits right from the beginning will be very important so that everybody will be able to develop this as a part of their routine and further will be able to enjoy positive reinforcement throughout the process.
- Learning the basic symptoms of gastrointestinal distress: During the summers the paediatricians and gastroenterologists will be significantly witnessing a good number of cases of viral and bacterial Gastroenteritis which will be present due to symptoms like diarrhoea, vomiting, abdominal pain and fever. Constipation is another very common scenario in this particular case due to the reduction of fluid intake. So, every parent should focus on making sure that they are taking their kids to the dr best pediatric gastroenterologist if the child is persistently having issues for more than three days, there are consistent signs of dehydration and the child is lethargic or usually not properly sleeping. Taking all of these symptoms very seriously will be very much recommended for people to avoid any kind of problem and make sure that the overall duration of the illness will be minimal throughout the process.
- It is important to avoid over-eating cold and sugary treats: Summer is basically very much synonymous with ice cream, cold drinks and chilled drinks. The occasional treats are very much fine but excessive consumption in this particular case will trigger symptoms like bloating, stomach cramps and indigestion. So additionally consuming all of these items could be very much unhygienic which is the main reason that shifting the focus to the best of the options of home-made ice creams and drinks is recommended additionally you should avoid the items which are made from unhygienic sources. Home-made versions of popsicles or smoothies should be given preference because milk in this particular case will be very clean and further you will be able to enjoy proper and safe hygienic practises of cooking very successfully.
Apart from the points mentioned above it is also very important for the parents to provide proper consultation to the kids in terms of using the swimming pool and water playing areas because you should always send your kids to the areas which are very well chlorinated and maintained. For toddlers and infants who are playing in small pools at home, water should be changed very frequently so that there is no scope for any kind of problem of developing any kind of disease. Additionally, if you are into travelling then you should focus on travelling very smart so that there is no scope for any kind of problem and things are very well sorted out. Hence being very aware of the above-mentioned points is recommended for you to avoid any kind of situation of Gastrointestinal disease and make sure that everything has been very well undertaken from the perspective of the well-being of the kids after consulting a famous pediatric neurologist and other professionals.
