Maintaining children's health is the main thing that is important for every parent to do for optimal child development. If the child is healthy, their growth and development is optimal, then the child will always be active and cheerful in their daily lives. Then, as a parent, how do you take care of your child's health? Check out the 5 tips below!
- Make it a habit to start the day with a balanced nutritional breakfast
By getting children to have breakfast in the morning, children can become more energized and enthusiastic about their activities. Because during sleep at night, the body does not get food intake for about 8-12 hours. In addition, the benefits of breakfast can help maintain the baby's weight and concentrate better and by fulfilling nutritional needs can also protect him from various diseases. Try to give your children breakfast with balanced nutritious foods, namely: protein and fat (meat, chicken, fish, eggs), carbohydrates (rice, bread), vitamins and minerals (vegetables, fruit, nuts), and milk. Breakfast habits with balanced nutrition can also help improve the baby's digestion.
- Instill that eating healthy and drinking mineral water is important for the body
Considering that children are still growing, parents must always instill in their children the idea that eating healthy food (balanced nutrition) and drinking sufficient mineral water is very important for the body. This can be started by giving an example to the child that the parents always eat healthy food and drink mineral water. Don't forget, get kids used to eating home-made food and snacks.
- Invite children to do physical activity
Not only to maintain physical health, physical activity can also maintain psychological health. One of the physical activities that can be done is exercise. Sport is an activity that can help regulate children's emotions. In addition, exercising can also keep the body's metabolism good. Other benefits of exercise include increasing bone density (jumping rope / skipping), optimizing heart health (running, cycling, swimming, soccer), increasing muscle strength, increasing cognitive function and intelligence of the baby. Make exercise a habit for children so that they can carry it until they grow up.
- Get enough, quality, and regular sleep
Children are very active individuals, but it must always be remembered that adequate and quality rest or sleep is very important. Children who lack sleep will cause difficulty concentrating, obesity, and irritability. The amount of sleep time for babies or children varies, depending on their age, that is, for ages 0-3 months it is recommended to sleep 14-17 hours / day, for ages 4-11 months 12-15 hours / day, for ages 1-2 years it is recommended 11-14 hours / day, 3-5 years old suggested 10-13 hours / day. Then Children with an age range of 6 to 12 years need at least 9-11 hours a day. Regular sleep according to schedule also needs to get used to children.
- Invite children to learn to clean themselves and the environment
The last thing that needs to be done to maintain children's health is to invite them to learn to clean themselves and their environment properly. Cleaning yourself and the environment is one way to prevent disease. Teach children the importance of taking a bath twice a day, washing their hands often, cleaning their room and their play area. If the child is still a toddler, parents must set an example and educate themselves to improve personal, home and environmental hygiene.
Those are 5 tips on how to maintain children's health so that their growth and development is optimal. No need to do it all at once or simultaneously. The tips above can be done in stages, but if parents feel they need help choosing nutritious foods, setting a child's sleep schedule, or inviting children to be diligent in physical activity, parents can consult with a pediatrician to get proper directions regarding setting a schedule. sleep, play, or set a good diet for children.
This article was reviewed by dr. Kornelia Ranti., Sp.A (Pediatrician, Tangerang EMC Hospital).