Chennai: A recent survey by IMRB found that Chennai kids are slipping when it comes to immunity, as compared to the other metros – Bengaluru, Mumbai and Delhi (18, 19 and 20 per cent respectively), while Hyderabad is on the same page as Chennai (22 per cent). However, the good news is that parents in Chennai spend Rs 683 of an average of Rs 850 on pediatric bills each month. The survey found that Delhi and Mumbai parents had managed to surpass the average medical bill (Rs 1,019 and 1,617) and those in Bengaluru limited it to Rs 715.
According to the study concluded last month, 22 per cent children in Chennai miss five days of school due to illness. It was found that lack of sleep, parents trying to induce western food habits in their child, and mushrooming nuclear families are the major factors that affect the immunity of children. It was found that instances of low immunity hinder a child’s day-to-day activities. The survey, which was conducted in 10 cities including Chennai, studied the status of immunity in children and found that a large percentage of children are malnourished.
“Due to the lack of a balanced diet, the body of the child uses the protein to energize the child and keep him alive,” said Dr Naresh Shanmugam, senior consultant, department of pediatrics, Global Hospital. “Usually, a child could fall sick around four to five times a year. However, if he exceeds the limit, he would require a hospital visit,” he opined. The immune system is the human body’s ‘anti-virus’ defence system. The more a child falls ill, the lower the immunity. This, in turn, hampers the child’s physical and mental growth. An adequate nutrient supply is necessary to ensure a well-developed immune system so as to maintain their genetically programmed growth potential.
It is essential that the parents of the child identify the tell tale signs such as the child being in constant stress, an unusual diet, lack of sleep, obesity, lack of physical activity and even overmedication. “In case of a nuclear family, a child is exposed to an endless array of germs and viruses only once he starts school – which is probably at the age of three or four. Due to the lack of exposure to such germs at an early age, the child does not develop immunity easily,” stressed Dr Shanmugam.
Expressing a word of caution, Dr Dharini Krishnan, consultant dietician and former national president of the Indian Dietetic Association said, “Parents should be aware of the fact that the concept that juice is good for children is wrong. Vitamin C is found in fruits and not juices.” She stressed on the need for children to be educated at a young age of the importance of eating protein and vitamin rich foods. Other than merely trying to force the child to adopt a few healthy habits, doctors are of the opinion that parents should also keep a close watch on their child. “Parents should pay more attention to the diet of children and prioritse their expenditure accordingly,” said doctor Bhuvaneswari Shankar, group chief dietitian, Apollo Hospitals.
