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Importance of Product Listing Ads

Importance of Product Listing Ads — BrandBoyz

What is Product Listing Advertisement (PLAs)?

Product Listing Ads are also known as PLAs. They are online advertisements that appear on the top of the relevant search results. These ads display products with images, prices, review stars, etc. Product Listing Ads work on the basis of Cost per Click (CPC). CPC model works as follows, only if these ads are clicked by any user do you need to make payments. So, the advertisers set a certain amount and they need to for the ads when it is clicked by the user.

The companies/advertisers invest in these product listing ads through a search engine like Google. Google is the most widely used search engine, they provide services like PLAs. These ads not only appear in the search results of Google but also on its partner website like YouTube.                                                                                                                                                                       

“Advertisement is the price you pay for having unremarkable product or service”

__John Edson

For Example, when you Google the word “feather earrings” the search results show relevant ads at the top of the page. These ads will have the image of the product (image of feather earring), below that the name of the product (like Blueberry Gold Toned Feather Earring), the cost (250 Rs), the brand. These are Product listing ads a.k.a. PLAs

How does PLA work?

Product Listing Advertisements are of Cost per management basis. The companies/PLA service providers work with Google.  The companies/advertisers have to submit the product image, product type, size, and brand to the Google Merchant Center. Next, they set up their campaigns in ad words. Product Listing Ads appear based on ad groups. Google analyzes the relevance of PLAs with the ad words based on this set of criteria

Google Product Category

Product Image

Product Type

Cost/Price

Size

Color

Availability

Brand

Google then determines which set of search queries are relevant to the PLA and based on that ads are displayed on the Google Merchant Center. After that relevant ad words are assigned for campaigns.

Google also allows some additional features which will help in enhancing the PLAs to attract users. 

Like Product ratings, where a 5-star rating system is displayed on the ad. Nowadays digital ads have become commonplace to look for reviews. Having a good rating for your product from other customers can really boost sales. Ratings have a higher chance of getting the user to click on ads. Another feature is the Special offer which is free of cost, where the ads can have special offer links to their PLAs.

What are the advantages of using PLAs?

Product Listing Ads may appear as natural as possible in your search result. However, they are more visually appealing.

It is an image-based ad embedded with other details that make them stand out from text ads. It is eye-catching and draws more users.

There is no competition like it happens with SEO.

It places positions your brand right in front of the users as it usually appears at the top of your search results.

There is no doubt that these ads are extremely effective and widely used by big name brands as well as small brands/ local brands. It is placed along with the famous brands which will make your brand appear “big” for users.

How to increase your ROI (Return of Investment) with PLAs?

If PLAs have brought more users and increased sales for your brand. Then it is necessary to expand your investment. If you continue to increase your spending limit, it will bear more profits. Limiting your expenses on PLAs after a productive result is equal to reducing the sales growth.

It is important to keep your website presentable and user-friendly. If these PLAs are leading to your website then it is important that users should be engaged. If Google detects that many users are quitting the website too early without making any purchases. Then Google will stop putting up ads.

PLAs are one of the most effective marketing strategies. It is one of the easiest and fastest methods to drive more traffic to your website. It is a cost-effective scheme to place the brand in the power position. Google is the best platform to advertise your brand and PLAs are extensively used by both popular brands and small brands.

#product listing ads #pla #what is pla #product listing #what is product listing #what is product listing ads #what is product listing advertisement #What are the advantages of using PLA #How does PLA work

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Black Hat SEO is a shortcut but can tank your website?

Black Hat SEO is a shortcut but can tank your website?

What is Black Hat SEO?

Black Hat SEO is an illegal method to gain more website traffic. It is a set of techniques used to spike up website ranking that violates the search engine guidelines. Moreover, it is not beneficial for the users/ customers. Marketers adopt Black Hat SEO to increase their ranking and to gain more customers after it backfires their sheepish efforts. 

The motive of marketing is to speak about your brand simultaneously learn about your customers. Marketing your brand to the best customers is the prerogative for every brand. Digital marketing has opened so many opportunities for brands to spread their brand voice. The digital landscape is evolving over the years, and it is creating greater chances for brands to attain a digital identity. Now having your brand’s website at higher rankings in search engines is the main target for every marketer out there. It has become a real struggle as there is heavy competition. Procuring an online brand reputation and ranking high on search engines is tough but not impossible. 

However, this platform is being exploited by marketers for their personal gain. These marketers are treading towards the illegal lane to target high rankings. In order to gain greater online visibility and boost website rankings, marketers are opting for Black Hat SEO. It is a shortcut to spice up your website ranking but it has a higher chance of getting your website banned.

Black Hat SEO techniques 

These are categorized as Black Hat SEO techniques:-

Cloaking is an e-mail

It is a method in which users are sent e-mails for ad content. It is against the search engine policy. These e-mails hide the sender’s name and address.

Blog Spam comments

It generally appears in blogs. For example, you might have come across some unrelated comments below the blogs which are usually promotion content.

Reporting a competitor

This is a petty method adopted by some marketers, who intentionally report their competitor’s website.

Shady Redirects

Initially, a website that is shut down is displayed as 301 re-direct. But some are using it to convert this old page as a method to redirect to their website.

Click Baiting

It is a method in which the user is tricked into clicking a web page only to lead to a different webpage.

There are many more Black Hat SEO techniques like Article spinning, Content automation, Duplicate contents, Pages with malware, Link schemes, Guest posting networks, Link manipulation( including buying links), etc

Why you should avoid Black Hat SEO?

Firstly, Black SEO techniques are annoying and displeasing for the users. 

For any brand to work out you need the customers to like your brand. If you are using this shady method to gain more users it will backfire. The customers will have a strong aversion towards the website from the get-go. Marketing is primarily done to gain customer’s trust. By opting, this method your brand/website would be associated with a scam. It isn’t easy to erase the scammer image from your brand. Nobody chooses to become a loyal customer to a scammer. The little chance of attaining loyal customers will never happen due to this pre-conceived image created by Black Hat SEO techniques.

Second, it is a momentary glory that will soon fade away. 

Just way the way it automatically generates more traffic, it loses the traffic and the users almost automatically. Its impact is just like, a sudden viral video that becomes the talk of the town but it’s soon forgotten. Every brand targets to have a longing impact on the customers. But this easy method can bear sudden results but will revert back to its initial position. It is a risky method without guaranteed success.

Thirdly, Google and other search engines are strengthening their security.

Black Hat SEO is a straight-up illegal scheme that directly goes against the search engine guidelines and gets your website banned even before it can make any progress. If a search engine bans the website then, you will lose the chance to market it online.

Conclusion

So, in conclusion, switching to Black Hat SEO is not a smart move. It is illegal and would most probably get your website forever banned. You will lose the opportunity to present your brand on the digital platform. Your website will accumulate a bad reputation. 

#black hat seo #black hat seo forum #black hat seo marketing #black hat seo tactics #black hat seo technique #black hat seo techniques #black hat seo? #what is black hat seo #what is black hat seo? #what is black hat seo techniques

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Separation Anxiety In Children - How To Handle & When To Worry

Separation Anxiety In Children - How To Handle & When To Worry

All children feel some anxiety at different ages. Separation anxiety is a common phenomenon that occurs at different ages or is induced by circumstances at an older age. In general, the clingy phase is the temporary that starts around the age of 7 months and continues till toddlerhood for 3 to 4 years.

Separation Anxiety is the fear of losing or separation from parents or the primary caregiver, as the young children rely on them wholly. 

Just because of the word "Anxiety", separation anxiety should not be considered in the negative context. On the contrary, it is a significant milestone that your child recognizes their environment and are safe with their loved ones or caregivers.

Separation anxiety can also occur in teenagers or adolescents who leave for college or high school. 

When the separation anxiety lasts too long, reoccurs frequently or shows a severe reaction from the child, it is called separation anxiety disorder (SAD). SAD needs to be treated medically.

How to recognize separation anxiety?

Here is a list of symptoms for you to understand what do typical separation anxiety symptoms look like.

1. Throwing tantrums when saying goodbye to the parent or caregiver.

2. Become too clingy or melt down when they know the parents are about to leave.

3. Getting restless when the parent goes out of the room or out of sight, even for a few minutes.

4. Crying excessive when they see their parents leaving them at home, with a caregiver or dropping them off at school. But get back to normal after a few seconds once they are gone.

How to manage Regular separation anxiety?

1. Build trust by telling them the reality if they are older enough to understand.

2. Practise a few minutes or hours of separation in case of infants to gradually prepare them. 

3. Give them favourite toys, books or anything that they like to divert their mind from the anxiety or the thought of getting separated from the primary caregivers.

4. Tell them the time when you will return, and while they are adjusting, make sure you return on time promised, to help them gain confidence that the parents will return.

5. In the case of preschoolers, ask permission of the teacher if you can stay back with your child for the initial days for a short time for a smoother transition of the child. Once they are accustomed to the new setup, they will willingly say goodbye.

6. Make goodbyes positive and reunions even happier. This makes the kids confident and learns an important lesson of self-independence. 

What is Separation Anxiety Disorder (SAD)?

Extreme reactions of separation anxiety such as inconsolable crying, high temper, and unrealistic fear lasting for more than a few weeks in toddlers above 3 years of age need to be observed and monitored. This could be a sign of SAD. As the children grow up, they understand the separation and that the person does not cease to exist when they are not in front of their eyes. If the child of any age, especially those above 3 years of age, continuously overreacts on separation, or the behaviour starts to interfere with their ability to perform daily tasks, discuss this with your doctor for proper diagnosis.

Here are some symptoms that define SAD and help to differentiate between normal separation anxiety and SAD.

1. Repeated, long term distress about separation from parents or caregivers or being away from home.

2. Constant panic about losing the parents to some illness disaster.

3. Bedwetting

4. A perpetual state of worry about being separated from the parent by getting kidnapped or lost in the marketplace.

5. Not ready to sleep in separate rooms or beds.

6. Nightmares about the above situations disrupt sleep or cause insomnia.

7. Start of physical symptoms such as headache, stomach ache.

8. Reluctance to the separation starts to affect school attendance and academic performance.

9. Being too clingy even when the parents are around or if it is age-inappropriate.

10. Withdrawal from socializing with friends or family.

What causes SAD?

SAD is a mental health problem that needs to be acknowledged and managed timely. The causes for SAD are not definitive because it is an issue related to mental health. There could be innumerable accountable or non-accountable causes that trigger SAD. Some common reasons for SAD are given below.

1. Losing a close person or primary caregiver in a sudden event.

2. When parents have anxiety issues, it is likely to pass on to the child. 

3. A traumatic incident in past when the child was left alone or in the absence of a primary caregiver.

4. A sudden change of environment, such as school, house, neighbourhood. 

5. Natural disasters or a medical condition causing separation from a parent.

6. Stressful life situations such as divorce, death of a pet, or losing a friend.

SAD could develop without cause as well as some kids may be more prone to emotional events in life. The catch is to identify and treat it systematically.

How to Treat and Respond to SAD?

Talk to your paediatric if you have concerns about separation anxiety in children older than 3 years of age that lasts for more than 4 weeks.

CBT (cognitive behavioural therapy)

Treating SAD involves psychotherapy, counselling and medication (if the symptoms are severe). 

CBT (cognitive behavioural therapy) form of psychotherapy that helps to face and manage fears of obscurity and separation. It also helps to create confidence for practising self-independence with emotional support from the parents. The therapist and parents have to work jointly to overcome the anxiety in children. The therapist will help you to identify the triggers and how to prevent/manage them.

Family

Family plays a very influential role in the treatment of separation anxiety disorder. Understanding the fear and being compassionate towards the child is the first approach for effective treatment. Practise separation while leaving the child with a caregiver/parent the child trusts. It is an effective way to keep the fear at bay and prove that you will come back to the child, and gradually the fear will go away. 

Be calm and make a specific goodbye ritual to bring consistency because consistency develops confidence. 

If you have to hire a caregiver, keep them for long-term employment so that the children have a trustworthy bond with them and reduce fear of parents not being around.

Alert your child about changes in routine beforehand in a subtle way to keep them from panicking too much.

Maintaining the overall health of the children by way of healthy eating, regular exercising, sleeping well, positivity at home is significant to cope with stress and anxiety. A healthy mind and body help to think clearly. 

Separation anxiety or SAD can cause stress and frustration in parents, especially when both the parents or caregivers are working. Managing work and the needs of the child becomes a tough fight. However, an aggressive or impatient attitude will only augment the anxiety than reducing it. Eventually, patience is the key.

Drop your questions below for answers by fellow parents. 

For much more than just parenting download our app 

Check out our other blogs at PinkNBlu

#separation anxiety in kids #anxiety in kids #medication for anxiety in child #anxiety in child #anxiety in children #pinknblu

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Sjain Ventures raises $0.5M in Pre-Series A Funding

A strong vision of continuous growth right from the start, has today led Sjain Ventures to receive Pre-series Funding of $0.5M. Sjain envision to become a global IT brand and market leader in software services.

#startup #funding #funds

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The scope of mobility for your business

The scope of mobility for your business — Sjain Ventures

What is mobility?

Mobility (Mobile phones and devices) have become such a ubiquitous part of our everyday life that it’s difficult to imagine going through an entire day without one. This shift to ubiquity has been driven largely partially in part by increasing the scope of mobile application development. 

Scope of mobility:

The rapid growth and increase in the scope of application development have left many companies grasping at straws when it comes to breaking into this market. Nowadays it is absolutely necessary to recruit a professional from outside of your organization to handle the process of mobile application development. But if you find yourself asking this question that what is the scope of mobility and how does it helps you in expanding your business then here is your answer:

1. Sales: One of the primary reasons why your businesses need mobile applications is to improve sales. The technology provides a replacement medium to interact with prospective consumers, creating value in their lifestyle and possibly trying to form sales. The channels are often utilized to urge other details of consumers which may help in improving marketing strategies.

2. Brand awareness: Another advantage of creating a mobile application is that it creates brand awareness among the target audience. It establishes a corporation firmly within the mind of the audience. By addressing real-world problems the app can reflect the values of the organization or act as a promotional medium for products or services offered by the seller.

3. New opportunities: One of the major reasons why companies are considering the development of mobile apps is that they can make way for new business opportunities. It can help organizations rethink their approach towards products or services offered. Powered by the web, mobile applications can literally create new avenues for companies.

Benefits of mobility:

The implementation of mobile solutions is a process that will affect the entire company. They will benefit not only your business but also your employees. Enterprise mobility is the future of the workplace; it allows companies to do business more efficiently. Companies that fail to keep up with the latest technologies have lesser chances of getting new projects than those that keep up. 

Do you have in place mobile solutions for your company? Here we are to your rescue!

Sjain Ventures provide you with advanced mobility solutions which are:

Native Android app: 

Better interaction with customers

Getting feedbacks

Creating a digital presence

Increase in profitability

Native IOS app: 

Real-time customer involvement

Cost management

Classification of customers

Getting feedback

Hybrid mobile app Multi-platform support

Code reusability and duplication

Gives room for future enhancement

Improved security feature

Third-Party Integration: 

Connection of applications through API

Custom application with API integration

Third-party related documentation

Offering API integration to customers

#moibility #mobility meaning #what is mobility #scope of mobility #mobility for your business #scope of mobility for your business #benefits of mobility #sjainventures

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Can co-working become the future of workspace?

Can co-working become the future of workspace — Premisin

The pandemic has affected almost every area of life and work as we know it, and due to this many organizations have adapted to or transitioned their ways of work from traditional to co-working. It certainly does come with its own challenges.

Future of co-working

It is said that co-working spaces in India could potentially increase at a faster rate if the growth rate of these workspaces were maintained.

But with work culture and society as a whole has undergone extensive changes over the past few months, companies may be concerned about using offices for the moment. However, experts still predict that this could mean good news for the co-working industry if it makes the necessary changes.

Although remote working has its own advantages, at times its drawbacks tend to take over, such as unreliable home technology, constraint home office space, uncommunicative team members, and mental health issues that can come with rearranging home and work responsibilities. 

Moreover, the future of work often requires distinct ways of working. In particular, flexible and vigorous ways of working will very soon become common as they will allow companies to react faster to changing and developing conditions in the business scenario. Along with this trend, more work will be project-based and involve staff from outside, which in turn increases the importance of networking and social skills.

Purposefully designed offices can encourage such new ways of working and co-working spaces to fulfill many of these changing requirements of the market. There is no escaping the fact that the nature of work is changing, however, so it’s worth embracing the positive aspects of that work-life change. What constitutes a job is no longer neatly bound by notions of a career, the nine-to-five, of 40-hour weeks and four weeks holiday leave, and nor should it be.

Entrepreneurs, startups large corporations, and remote employees, and freelancers of all types are moving to co-working spaces in record numbers. Free & fast WiFi, several facilities provided are some of the reasons companies are focusing on while choosing the co-working space but that's not all;

Opportunity for co-working

Co-working provides a motivating and encouraging environment. Members can take energy from one another even if they don’t talk about their particular projects. Co-working colleagues flourish in a pressure-free environment, politics-free workplace, and competitiveness among the co-workers engaged in the same activity.

Strong sense of work identity

Co-working spaces are unique in that they bring together not only individuals working on all aspects of a business, but also businesses from other industries. Individuals build a sense of worth and relevance in their job by learning about what others are doing.

Work and life balance

Individuals can determine their own working hours in co-working space, which is something that may not be achievable in a traditional office setting. Co-working spaces give flexibility to the individuals to choose their own selective working hours, something which would be impossible in a typical office setting. It is possible to organize your working hours around those of other family members rather than carrying work home or sticking to a regular work schedule. This gives you more time with your family and avoids disruptions.

Employers have discovered that having less control over what an individual does with their time results in higher performance, therefore co-working is beneficial to both employees and employers. Hiring employees without having to supply them with office space is not only cost-effective but also freeing. It's only a matter of time before the workplace as we know it becomes outdated as employees and companies adapt to this new style of working.

#coworking #co-working #coworking spaces #future of coworking #future of coworking spaces #future of coworking spaces in india #what is the future of coworking

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How consistent cloud computing is good for your company?

What is cloud computing?

Cloud computing has been introduced to humankind for quite 20 years now and no matter the info pointing within the direction of business efficiencies, cost-benefits, and competitive advantages it holds, a large part of the business section is still operating without it. Cloud practices encourage companies to help their operational viability and susceptibility.  Cloud practices are now considered to be proliferating and are being accepted by most of the business community. Here are some of the basic advantages of cloud computing:

Cost Savings: Once you shift to the cloud, you’ll be saving up a lot of time and money with easy access to your companies’ data t and project startups. Most cloud services only charge for features that you want or need and so you needn’t worry about the higher cost. This suggests that you don’t need to worry about unnecessary spending of money for extra features.

Security: Everyone has their concerns about the security of their data, security threats, and sometimes data loss but an interesting fact is that the data which is saved in the cloud is way safer because it is encrypted and quite far away from the cybercriminals.

Mobility: Cloud makes it all easy if you have to continuously travel and need instant access to your data. It also solves the problems for your employees if they are freelancers or have to go to a client meeting. It helps you maintain a better work-life balance.

Increased Collaboration: Cloud computing helps collaboration to be a simple and easy process.

Quality Control: With everyone having the access to the same information, the consistency in data is maintained, human error is avoided, and a clear record of revisions or updates is maintained.

What are some of the services that we provide under the cloud?

Web development:

Websites play a huge role in telling your story and attracting a huge customer base and clientele for you. Maintaining a website up-to-date and making it look its best to please a client is what any company aims at. Sjain ventures solve your problems by building you a website which is:

User friendly

Interactive interface

Strong content

Upgradeable

Application development:

Having a mobile application nowadays is turning out to be a huge success for many businesses. Having an app that is easily accessible, helps not only the user but the company as well to provide the customer what its needs and wants. This application which is cloud-based means where the local components and the cloud system are working in harmony and uses the remote server for processing logic. Some of the benefits of cloud applications are:

No risk of data loss

Gaining enterprise mobility

Getting more productive

Access to automatic updates

Content management system:

At Sjain we help the upcoming changes in advanced technologies in going hand in hand. One of which is a content management system. CMS helps you to manage the creation and modification of digital content which are embedded images, graphics, audio maps, or anything that conveys something and helps in interacting with the customer. CMS helps in:

SEO optimization

Online and integrated documentation

Template support for changing design

Unified experience to the user

Cloud managed services:

At Sjain we provide you with cloud managed services with quality support on different cloud architecture like private, public, and hybrid. So, let Sjain handle all your cloud-related issues so that you can concentrate on the core business functions. Our cloud-managed services include:

Disaster recovery

Virtualization

Network architecture

Automated business process

#cloud computing #cloud computing architecture #cloud computing services #saas in cloud computing #types of cloud computing #what is cloud computing #advantages of cloud computing #characteristics of cloud computing

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Virtual Offices can serve as your PPOB or APOB?

Virtual Offices can serve as your PPOB or APOB?

To understand the purpose of virtual offices. First, we need to know

What is PPOB and APOB?

PPOB stands for Principal Place of Business. Every company may it be big or small/ brand new or age-old needs to have a PPOB (principal place for their business) which acts as a headquarter or the prime location of their business. This PPOB has to be registered under GST. It can be a warehouse, office which is your physical address of the business. A company can only have one PPOB in a state. APOB stands for Additional Place of Business. There is numerous large-scale business and some small-scale business which requires more than one place of business. You can have several APOBs in a state. Like Amazon, Flipkart, etc.

Why PPOB is important?

It is a legal requirement for every company to provide a physical address for their office in order to register their business. So having a PPOB is mandatory. If you are planning to start a business you have to register your company. When registering, you must provide the physical address of the office. Even if the registered office is not the main site where all the work is carried out it is needed for receiving official mailings and keeping official records of the company.

How can Virtual Office be a solution for PPOB and APOB?

In this digital era, there is numerous business that doesn’t need a headquarter or the main office to facilitate their business. It is the time where people can work from home and carry out meetings digitally. They can prefer to work in a remote office or in a place of their choice. They don’t need an office however the law can’t be changed for them. All they need is a physical address for their office and the solution is Virtual Office.

Virtual Office unlike its name doesn’t mean an online office but rather a location that assigns their address to the business for GST registration. For your business, the virtual office can be PPOB or APOB. It can bear a good reputation to the business due to its location. It is cost-effective and provides various other facilities like meeting room service, assisting (they can represent an employee on the company’s behalf to meet specific clients) and receiving emails, etc. 

Like Premisin provides meeting rooms for private meetings, it also provides concierge services for companies.

#apob #apob certificate #apob in gst #apob registration #ppob #ppob in gst #virtual office #virtual office address #virtual office space #virtual office services

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How To Baby Proof The House - All Hacks Simplified

How To Baby Proof The House - All Hacks Simplified — PinkNBlu

Babyproofing is a method of preparing the places like the house, cars, and cribs to prevent your baby from unintentional injuries and self-harming situations. 

The everyday things, normal for adults, like corners of furniture, glass items, doors, drawers, can become a hazard once the babies start crawling and learn to pull, walk, climb.

You might also be tempted to delay babyproofing, thinking that the baby is not even rolling and you still have time. But before you know it, you are running behind them to stop them from getting hurt.

Why Do You Need To Babyproof Your House?

Most parents must have heard the elders say that babyproofing is a western world idea. While we do not imply that the elders are wrong, however, the changes in the lifestyle in the past few decades has made babyproofing a requisite.

In earlier times, there was space in houses and many people to look after babies in joint families, while the others completed their chores. Now, when most parents are working, families are nuclear, and there aren't specific people to watch the baby, making babyproofing an absolute necessity. Even if a parent is not working, there are times when the baby cannot be watched over and requires set-up to prevent any mishap.

Here are some points to keep in mind while deciding to babyproof your house and keep your little ones safe.

1. Analyze everything from the POV (Point of View) of a baby. 

2. Every corner can hurt, every piece of loose furniture can fall, any drawer could have items that might hurt them, and no cap/cork is too tight for the babies to open.

3. Water, toiletries, plastic bags, medicines, cutting tools, step-up stools, ladders, gas stove knobs can be dangerous to babies and toddlers.

4. Stairs, balconies, windows and doors are to be closed properly, and proper stoppers are to be used to prevent them from closing on the kids suddenly.

5. Toys given to children should always be age-appropriate, so they do not suffocate or swallow them in curiosity.

Here is the list that will need babyproofing, to say the least.

Movable furniture 

All the furniture should be anchored to the floor and fixed to avoid toppling over the little ones, such as TV cabinets, wheeled tables or chairs, rickety chest of drawers etc. Children should not be left unattended in rooms with heavy furniture. There are many options available such as furniture straps that help stabilizes the pieces of furniture. Also, any appliances that are sitting on any movable piece of furniture should be attached to the wall (For Example - TV, music systems).

Edges 

Most injuries are caused by the edges or walls, tables, beds. Edge guards and bumpers for all items and sizes are available easily. They cover any sharp corners which the crawling babies or running toddlers might accidentally hit. Crawl or sit at the height of your child to see what they might run into and hurt themselves. TIP - start babyproofing with edges and bed/crib proofing first, these are the first need as soon as your baby starts to turn over and crawl at 3 to 4 months of age.

Bathrooms 

Bathrooms report the most serious accidents in toddlers and babies. Never leave the baby unattended in the bathroom even for a second, especially when using a bathtub. Adjust the maximum temperature of the water heater at 48 degrees Celcius to avoid accidental burns. Bathtub bottoms and bathroom floor should be covered with antislip mats, and plumbing should be covered with rubber covers to prevent slipping and related injuries. Shower curtains are an absolute no-no with small kids. Toilet seats should be shut tight with latches as they pose a threat of falling and ingesting contaminated water. Above all, keep the bathroom and toilet doors closed and secured with babyproof latches at all times when not in use.

Cabinets 

All cabinets with openable doors, sliding doors, open shelves, drawers should be sealed safely with cabinet door latches. This is an easier option than removing and segregating things from all the cabinets in the house. Cabinets assigned to cutlery, crockery, wires and appliances, chemicals, shoes that have apparent hazards should be kept under the lock at all times. Drawers need to be secured because they can be used to climb on the pieces of furniture. TIP - It will also save you from unnecessary efforts of cleaning afterwards!

Beds/Cribs

Whether you co-sleep with your baby or use a crib, both situations need specific proofing to prevent the baby or toddler from falling and injuring themselves. The Cribs should not have electric ports, hanging curtains, peeling paint, windows or anything near that have even remote chances of hurting them. Avoid stuffing the crib with too many soft toys, pillows or blankets as rolling and entangling in them can cause choking in kids. If you are co-sleeping or Sharing beds, make the babies sleep on the side of the bed to avoid the risk of SIDS or suffocation in the mattress. The side of the beds can be safeguarded by bed rails available in the market. TIP - Place blankets or rugs around the bed or crib on the floor so avoid accidental falling and hurting, because these little ones can make surprising superman moves in their sleep!

Electric Ports and Appliances

All electric ports should be covered with safety sockets. Cords, battery-operated electronic appliances such as trimmers or shavers should be kept away from reach at all times. The baby proofing safety plugs are tight enough so that the kids cannot remove them. The kids will surely try to plug-in sockets if they get a chance as it will fascinate them, and they see you as adults doing it. Open wiring or cables should be tied and taped to the wall or concealed if possible. TIP - Always carry safety plugs when you go out and use them when needed to reduce your stress. 

Stairs/windows 

Metal railings and gates have been a boon and a revolution in babyproofing techniques. Sturdy and safe, they eliminate the chasing and anxiety or mini heart-attack you get when you see your baby crawling or trying to explore stairs. The stair gates need to be installed at both ends to prevent climbing up/down both. To avoid putting too many rails, you can isolate some floors and not take the baby to that floor at all. Similarly, windows need to be babyproofed with special window latches and temporary grills, especially those easy to reach. Windows also need to be proofed with soft pads to avoid finger-snapping due to accidental closing. TIP - Place all movable items like walkers, tricycles on the ground floor to avoid accidents.

Medicine and Toxic Material 

Medicines and toxic materials filled in bottles tubes are super attractive for babies and toddlers. Naturally, they are drawn towards these items out of curiosity, and how much you try, no cork or screw or bottle cap is too tight to prevent them from opening it. Therefore, removing these items from their reach is the only option. Never let these items left loose and an unattended baby around. Always secure medicine or toxic items away in latched cabinets and cupboards closed with babyproof latches. TIP - It will be easier to reposition the medicine/ chemicals/ toxic material at out-of-reach cabinets until the kids grow up, as you wouldn't want to risk poisoning in case someone forgets to put back the latch, or the latch breaks open, or the kids somehow find their way through the safety locks.

Kitchen and tableware 

The kitchen usually becomes a playground for kids with a huge collection of utensils and kitchenware. It is paramount to keep heavy items like mortar and pestle, knives, scissors, cutters in drawers that can be locked or at a height out of their reach. It is advised to change the side of gas knobs if possible. If it is not possible, make sure the main switch for gas is shut down after the use every time because the toddlers can reach them and turn them on. Remove table cloths, especially when the toddlers are learning to stand and walk. They may use the cloth as support, and the aftermath could seriously injure them. TIP - High chairs for kids is recommended as it saves dinner table mess and breaking of crockery.

Does baby proofing make my baby completely safe?

No. No babyproofing can guarantee 100% safety and assurance that nothing will hurt your child. Baby proofing is about consciously eliminating apparent dangers that can cause serious harm. In fact, your baby learns about protecting themselves when they get hurt, it is a part of their cognitive and sensory development. But we are talking about bruising the knee or arm. Babyproofing saves from serious injuries calling for hospital visits.

Baby proofing does not mean spending a fortune and getting everything at once. Plan as soon as your baby arrives and choose what is required. There are options in all price range available in the market, so keep your budgets in check without worrying.

We suggest whenever you are working in the house, especially if you are alone with baby, make a playpen for them so they can play in that pen till you complete your chores, without you having to lose your mind every time you hear a noise somewhere in the house (or maybe too much silence and no noise from your baby)

Ask away from our parent and expert community your questions about babyproofing. Make it a fun activity to do with your partner for your baby and create memories for the same!

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Breastfeeding - Practical Answers To Make Your Experience Simple And Easy

Breastfeeding - Practical Answers To Make Your Experience Simple And Easy — Pinknblu

Breastfeeding is a natural phenomenon associated with the loving and compassionate journey of motherhood. The benefits of breastfeeding are emphasized at all times until every woman entering the phase knows the importance of the whole process!

But as your parenting support partners, we want to answer some basic questions which every mother comes across at the time of actual beginning or during the breastfeeding journey. These questions come across when you actually start the phase of breastfeeding. 

You will get a lot of advice from everyone about breastfeeding, but as an informed parent ask your pediatrician and trust your instincts about your child.

To solve some of your doubts and make you feel confident about this blissful experience, we have compiled a list here. 

How Often Should you breastfeed?

How many times you should breastfeed varies with the age of the child. Newborn babies might need to nurse 8-12 times a day and must feed during sleep also and the gap should never be more than 4 hours. By the time they are 1-2 months old, their feeding cycle can change to 7-8 times a day, up to six months, or until they exclusively breastfeed. After starting solid food, you should gradually increase food meals and continue feeding 4-5 times a day or whenever the child demands. The number of feeds per day may rise during growth spurts. You should be concerned if the frequency of feeding reduces suddenly when the child is exclusively breastfeeding. Every child is born with the intuition to breastfeed. It is advised to manage the same gap between their feeds so that the child doesn't get too hungry and unconsolable. Everything is absolutely normal as long as the baby is breastfeeding regularly, not vomiting after feeding, and sleeps well. 

How long should you breastfeed?

It is advised that every baby should be breastfed exclusively for up to six months and after the introduction of solids, the babies should be nursed at least up to the age of 1 to 2 years. The colostrum (The first milk that comes from breasts immediately after delivery) is sufficient to produce antibodies in the baby to fight the infections during the initial days after birth. Regular breastfeeding enhances the Passive Immunity of babies and improves it with age. (Read our blog on Immunity and foods)

In some cultures, the children are breastfed up to 4 to 5 years of age, however, doctors recommend an optimal time of 2 years or whenever the mother and baby can positively and comfortably wean off. Once the baby starts eating solid food properly, the breastmilk will only be a source of a complete range of vitamins and nutrients in the form of supplements rather than for satiating hunger. 

Did you know that breastmilk evolves with the age of babies and produces antibodies for fighting off infections causing diarrhea, fever, breathing problems, and improves digestion system? Although, the lower frequency of breastfeeding should be counterbalanced with solid food after six months of age for complete nutrition. 

To Pump Or Not?

Pump, definitely pump, as and when you want, wherever you want! Pumping breastmilk/ Expressed milk has been a norm in the western world for more than four decades, while in our country, it has been only recently accepted and adopted in the last decade itself. There are many taboos around pumping breastmilk, which need to be crossed out big time! Pumping is safe and does not affect the quality of the breastmilk. Not all mothers can direct breastfeed for a year due to various reasons such as work and health issues. This should not be the reason to deprive your baby of the goodness of this process and pumping breastmilk comes to the rescue. Breastpumps are manual or electronic, used as many times as required. It assures constant supply to your child who is exclusively breastfeeding even in your absence, and balance natural immunity boosters in their bloodstream!

How to Store the Breastmilk?

Expressed breastmilk can be stored for up to 1 year in specific temperature requirements. It can be stored in a bottle at room temperature for 4 hours and up to 4 days in the refrigerator and up to 1 year in the freezer. In case you need to keep express milk during traveling, it can be stored in a vacuum or insulated cooler with frozen ice packs for up to 24 hours and then be used or refrigerated immediately. There are many sealable breastmilk storage bags available in the market for long-term storage. Store them in glass or in food-grade containers and bottles for daily use. Hygiene is the topmost priority for correct breastmilk storage

Always keep the storage container at the back of the fridge or refrigerator where the temperature is lowest and does not change. Never store in the doors as the temperature on doors changes frequently due to constant opening and closing. Do not store expressed milk in plastic containers or disposable plastic items not suitable for breastmilk.

Is Switching breasts compulsory?

It is not mandatory but advised to balance the production and supply in both breasts. Usually, each breast is sufficient to satiate the baby. However, if the child falls asleep before feeding is complete, or to get relief from over-full breasts (that cause painful engorgement) switching sides is recommended. But if the feedings are very often or in the case of multiples, where the chance of having full-breasts is less, switching sides during every feed is not necessary. Also switching sides pre-maturely (before 10 minutes) can cause fore-milk and hind-milk imbalance and lead to colic. (Read Colic in Babies Blog). Adopt the pattern of breastfeeding from the very beginning before your child gets habituated with one side. 

How often do you need to burp the baby?

Babies should be burped after every feed, while switching breasts or before restarting if your baby falls asleep while feeding and wakes up immediately to feed more.

There is no specific length of time or number of times to do this the right way, the pattern is different for each baby. Hold your baby upright with head supported on your shoulders with the gentlest pat or rub on the back for a minute or two. If the baby doesn't burp for up to 5 minutes, you can still put them down. The burping process time is to be adjusted according to your baby's conditions regarding spitting up, vomiting, and comfort.

When to introduce solids?

You must have heard about starting solids for babies after 6 months of age, but we shall tell you why behind it! The exploration of other foods such as purees, mashed pulses can be started once -

The baby is six months old,

Can hold their head themselves,

Weighs more than 13 pounds or around

Shows attraction and interest in food that you eat in front of them.

All of these above points are a sign that your baby's digestive system is ready to start a form of food other than breastmilk. If not specifically told by the pediatrician, solids should be started after 6 months only.

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[raviport]

Covid-19 - Protocols For Isolation With Children And Other Family Members

Covid-19 - Protocols For Isolation With Children And Other Family Members — PinkNBlu

The situation under Covid-19, especially with the second wave, has caused an austere disruption between families and relatives. However, heroic stories from across the country about how people have acted like superheroes and worked relentlessly to help people deal with the Covid-19 crisis motivated all of us to remain hopeful.

Here we shall discuss a very stressful situation and a cause of concern - how to isolate at home, with kids or in a joint family set-up? Having a separate room or area to isolate a single member is not possible in most cases. But, to save the other members from getting infected is the moral responsibility of every person.

With limited space options, or having kids in the family following home isolation or home quarantine protocols and guidelines issued by the governing authorities is not easy.

What Is The Difference Between Quarantine And Isolation

Quarantine 

If a person needs to quarantine or stay home for 1-2 weeks if suspected to be infected or exposed to any condition that makes it likely to contract the Covid-19 virus. The person may or may not have symptoms but needs to take this measure to negate the chances of passing on the infection to others.

Isolation

If a person is covid positive, with or without symptom, isolation from healthy people is required upto 10 days or until the Covid report is negative to break the chain of transmission.

How To Isolate Or Quarantine At Home

1.  With kids and people with existing comorbidities

The member who is covid positive should isolate in a separate room with an attached bathroom. The rest of the members of the household should wear masks all the time.

Only one person should take up the responsibility of attending and taking care of the isolated/sick person. The caregiver should wash hands regularly each time after contact with any surface or things from the quarantined person's room. Especially if you have children who are likely to touch objects around them without precaution.

The optimum measure is to let the isolating person wash their utensils and clothes themselves. But in case they are not well enough to do so, the caregiver and the patient should ensure wearing double masks while exchanging things. Wear hand gloves while washing the utensils and clothes with hot water and disinfectant detergents and give the same back for reuse.

Kids tend to be playful and might not understand the seriousness of the situation. They should be strictly kept away from the isolation room, any surface, or items that may have been touched by the sick person.

Keep the children and elderly or people with existing health conditions in a separate room when/if the sick person has to use any common areas such as bathrooms. The whole place/bathroom/ passageway and surfaces should be sanitized after every use before letting the children and the elderly out of the room.

If more than one person is Covid positive, isolate in the same room with all protocols like masking, sanitizing, washing hands. It is easier to pass the period than being alone.

2. If The Primary Caregiver/ Parent Has Covid-19

The dire situation seems multifold when the parents/primary caregiver is covid positive without any other adults in the household to take care of children.

An older child is the one who is mature enough to take care of oneself and legally allowed to be alone at home. The parent/s should adopt all isolation protocols to prevent the spreading of infection to other members.

Asking help from people outside the home by providing cooked food or running errands is necessary to help the child cope with the responsibilities.

Children who cannot take care of themselves have no option other than to stay with their parents (sick with Covid-19). If at all possible, ask other family members or arrange other caregivers till the parents recover. Otherwise, supervising the child/ren during the recovery period with the highest possible Covid-19 protocols is necessary to keep them safe.

Both the child and parents should wear masks all the time. If the child is too young to wear masks, parents should wear double masks.

Keep a distance of 6 feet from the child or isolate in a separate room, if possible. Wash your hands frequently, especially before touching any common-use surfaces.

Ensure that the house is well-ventilated, do not use air conditioners and keep the windows open with the fan on.

If the sole caregiver is sick, always sanitize/disinfect any item you exchange with your children, except food. If there are other family members, ask them to take complete responsibility for the child and self-isolate yourself in a separate room.

CALL EMERGENCY number or your consulting doctor if your condition worsens, or are unable to take care of the child, or your child shows any symptoms of Covid-19. You should always stay in touch with your extended family outside the household and inform them if you are not in the condition to take care of your children.

3. If the child is Covid Positive

Getting a covid positive report of your child is heartbreaking, an agony that only a parent can comprehend. Keeping the anxiety and panic at bay, you need to be your strongest self to pass through this situation. On a positive note, based on the studies, Covid-19 does not affect children severely. They mostly recover in home isolation and with mild or no symptoms at all. But as they can be carriers of the virus, keeping them isolated till they recover is essential for stopping the chain of transmission.

The child should get immediate medical attention if the symptoms are moderate to severe.

There should be absolutely no contact with others, playdates, or visitors in the house.

The child should be separated from the rest of the household, and ideally, only one person should be responsible for taking care of the sick child, who should also follow all quarantine measures as if they are also at the highest risk of contacting the infection.

As younger children are not easy to isolate and cannot be made to wear masks all day or no mask at all if they are younger than 2 years. So for everyone else's safety, all members should wear masks all the time.

Older children who are capable of managing themselves alone should be isolated separately with home isolation protocols.

Isolate the child in a room that has a bathroom facility if possible. Otherwise, sanitize and disinfect the space every time the child uses one.

The primary caregiver should care for them like normal, with double masks but make them feel loved. Do activities and games with them to keep them entertained. Answering their doubts and questions related to the situation helps them gain confidence to overcome and recover better.

4. If there is no separate space to isolate

Indian Households do not necessarily have separate rooms for each family member. This can become a confusing situation when the need to isolate or quarantine arises. Here are some pointers to adopt while isolating in a house in case of space constraints.

Try to keep the best possible space to separate the sick person/s from the rest of the members, especially the children, the elderly, and people with existing health conditions.

Create partitions with cardboard poster boards, bedspreads, shower curtain if the sick person and the rest of the household has to stay in joined space.

Continous sanitization of shared spaces and ventilation by keeping windows open in the safest way possible is a must.

Create separate beds for the sick person, and if even that is not possible, sleep facing opposite ends of the bed, with masks (N95) on.

If the bathrooms are shared, the isolating person should clean the space with disinfectant after every use. If it is not possible, the caretaker should clean the washrooms after every use by the sick person wearing a mask (N95), disposable gloves. Keep the bathrooms ventilated.

The laundry, linens, clothes, utensils should be washed in the hottest possible water with disposable gloves and mask all the time and should not be touched by any other member other than the caretaker.

There should be absolutely no visitors (except medical help) as all the people staying together at high risk of contracting the virus. Hence, all the members should stay as per the quarantine protocols.

Covid-19 is dangerous, and taking precautions for reducing the risk of transmission is absolutely mandatory.

Timely testing and treatment can save from getting severely ill from Covid-19. Isolating strictly helps in preventing other family members from getting sick and break the chain of transmission.

In case you or any family member has contracted coronavirus, do not self medicate. Always consult a doctor. Keep the patient connected with the family and friends through video calls, as empathy and compassion play an imminent role in their faster recovery and boosting their morale.

Reach out to us if you have any questions or doubts about home isolation or quarantine. We are in this together!

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[raviport]

9 Forms Of Food That Boost Immunity In Kids - Great Health For Better Future

9 Forms Of Food That Boost Immunity In Kids - Great Health For Better Future — PinkNBlu

Keeping up good health and developing a good immune response in one's body is highly imminent for having a healthy life. With evolving lifestyles and poor food habits, we need to do our best to help our kids develop immunity from the very beginning to prepare them for a great & healthy future.

Let's take a basic introduction about the types of immunity that our body can develop!

1. Innate immunity

This type of immunity is the one we are naturally born with and are ready to prevent outside invaders from day one! These include physical barriers such as skin, mucous membranes that exist naturally in our mouth and gut. These act like frontline warriors to save pathogens and micro-organisms from entering our bodies.

2. Adaptive or Acquired Immunity

As we grow, our bodies come across numerous pathogens for the first time. Our immune system works hard to make antibodies to fight the infections off. Our immune system stores the data and keeps the antibodies ready to respond faster when the same pathogen strikes again. This process of developing immunity over time is called adaptive immunity. This is the reason why older children and adults fall sick much lesser than younger kids and babies.

3. Passive Immunity

This is also a type of acquired immunity but from a source. This immunity is passed down to the foetus from the mother through the placenta or from breastmilk. It helps to fight off infections in earlier years. However, this immunity is not lasting and wades off with time, and by then, adaptive immunity kicks in.

4. Vaccinations

Another form of immunity is artificially induced through vaccinations. Hence timely vaccinations are highly significant for fighting various diseases.

Immunity boosting Food Forms

It is more important for parents to understand why these 9 food categories as naturally designed to improve our immune system and need to be included in their children's diet.

Effective immunity comes from a healthy body and mind. These superfoods are the perfect easy way to see your children grow into healthy humans. A child who falls sick too often means low immunity and which in turn leads to poorer health.

Seasonal Fruits

Mother nature is not just a name, and her offspring are made with perfection and balance for all nutrients required by our bodies. Each season and the associated fruits hold the right amount of nutritional value. Eating seasonal fruits helps prevent the pathogens that develop in the particular season from affecting our bodies by providing the right micro-nutrients.

Citrus fruits full of vitamin C help to fight off cold & flu viruses and are usually available all year round.

Fruits like papaya, mango, bananas are rich in fibre, zinc, potassium that aid digestion and maintain good gut health, which is very important for overall immunity. Pomegranate and berries are loaded with anti-bacterial and blood cleansing properties that boost your overall immune system.

Herbs and Spices

What makes Indian food stand apart is the variety of herbs and spices that give world-class flavour and immunity boost to our bodies. Turmeric, fenugreek (methi), mustard seeds (raee), coriander powder (dhaniya powder), cumin seeds (jeera) are some of the common spices found in every Indian household that hold magical properties for healing, preventing and curing a long list of ailments and diseases. The herbs & spices are rich in antioxidant properties, are anti-bacterial, purify the blood and keep toxins out of the body.

Garlic is a botanical vegetable but is used as a herb or a spice and is blessed with cold-curing qualities. Regular infusion of spices in everyday food helps develop a strong immune response and defence mechanism against pathogens.

Seasonal Vegetables

Rich in fibres, antioxidants, micro-minerals and nutrients, eating seasonal vegetables is necessary for the right level of immunity as per the weather. Why does corn come in the rainy season? Why are carrots and spinach available in winters? Each vegetable has a combination of nutrients that help to develop adaptive immunity for the current and upcoming season.

Regular consumption of a balanced diet through vegetables works wonders for cleansing of liver, kidney and guts. When your food canal is clean and toxin-free, the body can use all its energy to be prepared to fight the unwanted invaders. Inculcate a habit of including a sufficient portion of vegetables every day in your child's meals for the long-term benefit in the form of improved physical and mental growth, higher energy levels, lesser chances of obesity.

Nuts and seeds 

Nuts and seeds are not just luxury food items, they are rich in calcium, protein, carbohydrates and healthy fats. Low in calories and super energy sources and the unsaturated fats found in them keep a check on cardiac health. Seeds like chia, fennel, flax are great for intestinal health and help to manage over & underweight issues. They are also great snacking options instead of packaged and junk food. The nuts are also a great replacement source for certain micro-nutrients, which are otherwise found only in non-vegetarian food and augment immunity.

A handful of nuts in the morning and evening will keep the kids rightly energized and full for long hours (curb the unhealthy munching of snacks).

Dairy

The prized position of dairy for kids is well-known. Dairy in the form of paneer, milk, curd, buttermilk is usually loved by all kids. Anyone dairy item should atleast be included in children's meal every day! And if your kids love milk, it's a bonus! Dairy is rich in calcium and upto 500gm/ml of total dairy intake (for 2 years old children and above) in a day is sufficient to meet the daily requirements of calcium, protein and phosphorus. Paneer and cheese are high in calcium content and also provide energy! A safe vegetarian source of B12, curd and buttermilk are also superfoods for digestion and gut health.

Egg and meat

Eggs are the humongous source of protein, calcium, iron, vitamin B12, and many other micronutrients that aid the development of the brain, bones and muscles. Lean meats are also a healthy source of B vitamins and selenium that improves immunity, prevents cell damage. Both meats and eggs rich contain so many varieties of nutrients that are essential for proper growth in children, support brain development, cell formation, and healthy fats that promote healthy heart functioning. The saying never goes out of style that - Sunday Ho Ya Monday, Roz Khao Ande!

Whole grains

Rice, Wheat, Jowar, Bajra, Ragi, Moong, Pulses, the list is too long! Whole grains in the form of Atta or infused in the plethora of dishes that the Indian kitchens burst of are the food that must be compulsorily included in a child's diet. The complete Indian diet mixes all the food grains as per traditions to provide wholesome goodness of dietary fibre, carbohydrates, vitamins, iron, folate. Most cultures have specific days of the week assigned to eat certain grains so that every grain is included systematically in the diet. Whole grains give long-lasting energy for the simple fact that they are slow to digest (in a good way) and release energy for a longer time! The Easiest Food chain level is the grains and cereals as they are stale food in our country. The stability of eating whole grains around the year helps to keep our body nutritionally balanced and maintain the overall immunity levels.

Plant-based concoctions

Inherited magical potions from ancestors are also perfect for enhancing immune system activity. Plant-based concoctions, including tulsi leaves, pudina, methi, giloi, and seeds like cumin, fenugreek can be added and boiled in water to create a Kadha. These are proven helpful for curing and preventing flu and cold-related sickness. Kadha gained popularity during Covid-19 times but have been in use since the beginning of the time. Infused water by boiling these and many other natural ingredients improves the functioning of the whole digestive tract and also helps to release excess phlegm caused due to any seasonal virus and bacteria attack on the body. 

Immunity is not a single feature of the body. The immune response of the body works best when all your organs and body functions working on point. Hence the list of the above food forms enhances immunity and the upkeep of all the body functions.

We can confidently conclude that acquired immunity is essential for our kids to save them from dangerous infections and preventable diseases. Covid-19 being one more added to the list.

Indian kitchens are said to be the house for natural immunity-boosting ingredients and foods. A healthy lifestyle, exercising, eating well-balanced food helps our immune system to work smarter and faster.

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[raviport]

Why And How To Manage Timely Vaccination Of Children During Covid-19

The uncertain situation that we all are sailing through is more conspicuously challenging for a parent. Whether your child is a newborn or a toddler, any condition, such as schooling, medical needs, vaccination, or even keeping them engaged, is amplified with worries due to Covid-19.

The general question that bothers every parent is how to manage the timely vaccination of children during this pandemic. The palpable anxiety caused by stepping out of the house with children in the Covid-19 environment is apparent and universal for all parents.

Vaccination plays a crucial role in preventing children from threatening diseases and building their life-long immunity towards various infections. Based on many breakthrough scientific advancements over the years, the schedule of vaccine preventable diseases (VPDs) is distributed over different age of children, with a specified time interval permitted between each dose of vaccine.

Therefore, it is highly essential that the kids receive the regular vaccines during the scheduled period, at the specified interval and age.

If you are also constantly concerned with these questions or any other inquiries related to the vaccination of your kids, please read further. The general queries from parents are answered below

1. Should the regular vaccinations be continued during the Covid-19 pandemic?

Yes. Regular vaccination of children should be continued with all precautions even though currently the kids are at home only. As the vaccines build immunity for life in children against serious infectious diseases, vaccination is paramount to keep the children safe now and in future.

2. Does vaccination reduce immunity and increase the risk of contracting the covid-19 virus?

NO, the regular vaccines build immunity against various preventable diseases and there are no proven studies that show a connection to the risk of contracting the Covid-19 virus due to other vaccines. Vaccination against one disease does not weaken the immune response of the body against other diseases.

3. How important is it to continue timely vaccination during the Covid-19 pandemic?

Vaccination is as vital during this pandemic as it in times otherwise. The vaccines are administered at a specific age to prevent the children from falling sick due to infectious diseases, delaying them or discontinuing them can abrupt the immunization trail. Covid-19 is a different virus from other preventable diseases, whose vaccines are available right now. Hence, providing protection against the already existing VPDs goes hand-in-hand while fighting this pandemic.

4. Do the regular vaccines keep the children safe from Covid-19?

There is no vaccine available for children below 18 years at present to protect against the Covid-19 virus. As the overall immunity of a person plays a role in fighting the Covid-19 infection, getting regular vaccines is the best option. BCG vaccine administered at an early age is said to prevent a large spectrum of other infections. However, it doesn't protect from covid-19 but boosts the overall immune response in children. Getting the vaccine for Covid-19 will be inevitable whenever it is developed in future.

5. What if the vaccine is not administered in time due to movement restrictions as per Covid-19 guildelines?

Generally, the movement for medical purposes (essential service) is not restricted in lockdown also, but in case the vaccination is delayed due to movement restrictions in your area or your healthcare provider is not able to continue with vaccination services, contact your healthcare provider or paediatrician to know the further course of action. Most of the vaccines have a window for the delay and can be resumed from the same schedule. If the delay in vaccination goes beyond the specified time frame, the doses may have to be restarted from the first dose, which makes it even more imminent to follow the vaccination schedule diligently.

The immunization schedule of children upto 2 years of age is extremely crucial and needs to be adhered to very strictly.

SELF SAFETY PROTOCOLS TO FOLLOW TO GET THROUGH THE VACCINATION PROCESS

Now the most popular question - How to manage the vaccination on time while keeping all precautions in place so that the child and the parents are protected from getting infected?

1. Talk to your paediatrician about the protocols and understand the method followed for managing the safe vaccination process. Due to the Covid-19 guidelines, the timing, appointment modes, access to vaccination centres can be modified to make the vaccination process safer.

2. Wear double masks and a face shield at all times.

3. Wear disposable surgical gloves to make it easier to sanitize frequently.

4. Children below 2 years of age are not supposed to wear masks, hence, it is highly imminent to follow proper social distancing norms once at the vaccination centre.

5. For children above 2 years of age, make sure they wear a mask, and if possible, a face shield too, with proper social distancing to be maintained at all times.

6. Book an appointment beforehand and reach the place a few minutes before to avoid the last-minute hassle. Not too early also as the lesser the exposure, the better it is. Most doctors now keep appointment slots fixed to avert overcrowding.

7. Once you inform your arrival to the staff at the centre, wait outside until your turn comes to maintain social distancingWhen your turn comes, take the child along, sanitize the vaccination station and place a baby wrap or cloth to prevent your kid from coming in contact with a public surface when they lie down for vaccination. Most doctors/medical staff will sanitize the vaccination station right before your turn and let you sanitize again if you feel the need to.

8. Keep a separate plastic bag ready to put the cloth into it after the vaccination is done. Sanitize your hands (hands of children above 2 years of age) and bags immediately.

9. Keeping calm throughout the process will help you to follow safety protocols better.

The abruption caused in our lives due to the pandemic is unfathomable, with constant anxiety for the safety of our little ones. It is indispensable to be completely aware of the things-to-do and no-to-do related to the well-being of your children.

Timely immunization is a must for all children with all safety protocols in place.

THE PINKNBLU SUPPORT

With the never-ending responsibilities around your little ones, it is sometimes difficult to manage/schedule/remember vaccination in the Covid-19 scenario.

As we have already mentioned that the vaccination upto 2 years of age is extremely important, and to assist you in the same PinkNBlu has collaborated with CLOUDNINE - India’s leading paediatric hospital. Now you can book an appointment (in select cities) for getting vaccination at home for your kids with complete safety protocols followed by the medical professionals.

Check this link vaccination at home for more details on how to book your next appointment for vaccination.

If your city is not listed on the above page, do not worry our teams are working relentlessly to include more locations for the vaccination at home service.

You can also download our app to use the Vaccination Tracker feature that enables you to keep track of vaccination record, add reminders for the next vaccination due date and some exciting discounts on vaccination services (in select cities).

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14 Great Indoor Game Ideas For Your Kids To Break The Lockdown Boredom

Are you also on a quest to find some possible-at-home fun activities and games that your kids can engage in and cope with cabin fever in these social-distancing-times?

We understand the dilemma of all parents constantly trying to adapt to these precarious times with rules and guidelines changing every day.

It is significant to keep the children occupied with productive activities or games that keep them creative, joyous and entertained.

These games require bare-minimum props and are super energy-busting, keeping your little ones active and compensate for missing out on all the physical activity outside the home.

1. Obstacle course 

There are multiple ways to create an obstacle course or maze with different things such as pillows, duct tape pattern on the floor, crepe paper strips, books or practically anything that will act as a hurdle to be crossed. Create hurdles that need to be navigated through or jumped over, crawl from under to reach an imaginary destination. For older children who can navigate better, this can be done blindfolded also. The obstacle course games are fun and get their heart pumping while developing spatial awareness and problem-solving skills. To make it even more exciting, give a time limit to cross the hurdles and reach the end of the course. With more kids in the house, use the duration taken to complete the course to compete between them and with a single child, motivating them to break their own previous record!

2. Mission impossible 

If you have small corridor kind of spaces in the house, this game is a complete must do with your kids. Use any tape or thick rope threads, crepe paper stripes (makes it very difficult), create a maze by sticking these to opposite walls of the corridor at different angles and directions. The kids have to pass through them without tearing any thread down. Mission impossible feels would be high with this sneaky spy-mood fun game that enhances natural balancing senses and problem-solving skills. You can increase the interest by putting a pretend-artifact at the end of the hallway that the spy has to save from thieves.

3. Balance it out

Another fun game that is easy to create with minimum props and efforts. Use any tape that is easy to peel off the floor without damaging it and create a path in any direction, length with added zig-zags and spirals to make it fun. The child has to walk on the tape without losing balance till the very end, and no step should fall off the tape path. Make it more fun by challenging the kids to move backwards on the tape path!

4. Tongue twisters and Memory Games 

Tongue twister games are fun in groups, and with the zoom meets at our disposal, this fun game has seen a turnaround in recent times. The kids can actually enjoy the same game on zoom meets, where only one parent has to monitor, and the laughing riot will not cease for hours. Every kid in the game has to say the tongue twister correctly and try to beat the time of the previous player. Similarly, memory games where each participant has to add another word to the already existing sequence of words made by other players. The longer the game, the longer is the pressure to memorize the trail. If any kid forgets a word in between, the laughter and energy put in by other players to correct will set the right happy mood at home.

5. Bowling alley 

Make your own bowling alley at home with paper cups, plastic water bottles and use the same tape to mark the path. If it doesn't bother you, leave the tape in place and let your child play this game any time he/she wants to. They would also have a great time placing the make-shift bowling pins for the game. Bring variation in the game, by placing glasses or bottles in the shape of a pyramid and they have to bring it down in the given number of chances/balls. The kids will love to build the cup/bottle pyramid every time, as it is a game in itself.

6. Balloon up 

Just blow up some balloons and compete to see who can keep the balloon in the air for a long time without dropping it even once. This is a great game that can be played on zoom with all your kid's friends to make the competition better! To make it even better, ask each player to blow up their own balloons or blow up a new balloon every time they drop their balloon, making them restart after each drop.

7. Dominoes

Making a dominoes maze is super time-consuming, with the demand for creative planning and concentration. It is already gaining popularity in India and is an enjoyable way to improve balancing and precision skills. Creating a good domino maze needs more than two hands, so grab this game from various online options and enjoy the quality and constructive family time together!

8. Sack race

Literally an ancestral game that never seems boring or goes out of fashion. Get a sack, jute bag or pillow sack (any fabric that is not slippery) in which the feet can be tied together. The kids have to jump and bounce to move forward to the goal with both feet tied up. If your household has more than one kid, this game will be the favourite and perfect to get their hearts pumping and get the daily dose of physical activity.

9. Spoon your lemon

Another treasure from our own childhood, balancing the lemon on the spoon and walking to the goalpost. This is a great game for preschoolers to introduce them to the sensory realm. They learn to focus, balance while maintaining their eye towards the goal. For older children, try it blindfolded or walking backwards. This game is good if you have a single child at home trying to improve his own performance. Also, who is stopping the adults and parents from participating as well! Go go go!

10. Red light-Green light

A popular, cheery group game that can be played on zoom among friends, at least until the Covid-19 situation improves. One of the participants has to pretend to be the traffic light referred to as the "Den" and stand at a distance of at least 5-6 meters from the other players. The den will call out the 'green light', and all the players will start running towards the den. When the den calls 'red light', they should stop immediately. The player found moving after hearing 'red light' will have to start from the starting point. For Zoom games, fix the similar distances at each player's house, and they have to follow the instructions of the den. You can introduce variations as per the age of children by adding yellow light as a cue to move in super slow motion, or maybe include other colours for crawling, hopping, or walking backwards.

11. Bubbles Shooting

All you need is a bubble Gun or a simple bubble wand/stick available easily in the market. The younger kids would enjoy this the most, as the bubbles fascinate them like fairyland! The kids have to pop the bubbles before they fall on the floor. This is easy to arrange and can be done any time, the kids will jump around, laughing out loud, busting their daily dose of energy!

12. Jenga

A block game where you have to build a tower and then remove pieces from between without the tower collapsing. This can be played with dominoes tiles also. Younger kids might not be able to strategize how to remove the blocks, but will surely love to build towers from them! while older kids can play with the family and learn the science of balance and pressure techniques!

13. Hoopla

Remember how this game was the star game at fairs or fetes at school. with everything closed, create a hoopla game with basic material easily available at home, and see the kids love to compete! You can use, paper plates or unused cardboard to make the rings and a cardboard tube from kitchen paper roll to make the stand. Make more than one stands and place them at different angles and directions to add more excitement to the game!

14. Corners 

A classic memory game that can be played according to the age of kids. Assign a name such as favourite characters, books to nooks or corners of the house and stick name cards in those corners to make it easier. For younger kids use colour names that they recognise. The supervisor parent or the den stands in a place with eyes closed and counts to ten, the other players have to run and stand any one of the corners and when the den calls the name of one of the corners, all the people standing in that corner are out of the game. This goes on repeat and when there are only 4 players left, each player has to choose a different corner. The last person remaining is the winner! This is also a great game to play online with friends, where every player paints or marks circles in the room for each corner.

We have picked these games that are easy to deploy at home and can be played on zoom with friends also with little arrangements done by parents at their respective homes. You can also join in with your kids to share some fun-filled family time. These games are great for virtual birthday parties as well.

Do share your game ideas and click lots of pictures.

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A Basic Guide To Prepare For A Healthy Pregnancy

The millennial moms or mom-to-be are super conscious and well-informed about their choices and health!&;

Yet, "trying to conceive" or "being pregnant" builds anxiety and raises millions of questions in the mind of every woman. If you are trying to conceive and wish to bring a healthy baby into this world, we would love to share a few things that can help to thrive through this blissful phase.

Some basic lifestyle and health-related changes are required to assist the mother's body to home a miracle inside her! Your diet, physical and mental strength increases the chances of healthier pregnancy.

TIME FRAME TO ADOPT CHANGES

The time to get pregnant is always right. However, You will not lose anything by making the changes to your lifestyle as early as possible. You can get pregnant on the first try, or it might take some time, but would you want to take a chance when it comes to your baby's health? To be on the safer side, if your are normally active, introducing healthy beginnings into your routine should start atleast six months before you plan to conceive.

1.READJUST THE MEDICINE CABINET

Getting yourself into the right mind frame for starting a family is the first step towards preparing for this ecstatic phase. The next step, to begin with, is ditching your oral contraceptives, as it is deemed to take 2-3 menstrual cycles to get back to ready-to-conceive uterus health. Alongside, you need to commence decluttering your medicine cabinet after consulting with your healthcare provider for any changes to be made in your current medication. It is prudent to not take any medication on your own during the trying-to-conceive period to avoid any side effects hampering your fertility.

As per the healthcare experts, "During the trying-to-conceive period, any form of unprescribed allopathy, homoeopathy or Ayurvedic medication is risky because you might not know that you are already pregnant until it's already past 5-6 weeks. To avoid any pernicious complications, refraining from unprescribed medication is better than jeopardizing the mother's and the baby's health."

2.HEALTHY START

Considering the stressful and exhausting lifestyle in today's world, there are slight chances of keeping up with apt nutrition requirements and a health-managing routine. But once you are ready to extend your family, your good health will be the most valuable asset. Not just through the pregnancy, but after delivery taking care of the little one will need all the physical strength and grit. Appropriate iron levels, active/sedentary lifestyle, work and family stress, immunization, BMI range, thyroid levels, diabetes and many factors contribute towards fertility and conceiving. These factors may not compulsorily affect the fetus’s fertility or health, but prominently contribute towards keeping your health in check and making you ready with the strength required for the miracle of birth and the postpartum period.

Identifying these markers before pregnancy can balance any deficiencies or issues on time rather than administering any treatments during pregnancy.

The baby will exert pressure on your overall body frame, and you need to be in the best possible health to manage the changes your body will go through. Exercise regularly, in a way that suits your body and schedule, cut down the sedentary lifestyle. Discuss the intensity of workouts with your healthcare provider and improvise.

3.CURBING THE VICES

Unhealthy habits are the first thing to give up. Even if you are a rare smoker or drink occasionally, it is a big no-no. It is a perfect opportunity to toss away those vices by the expectant mother and the people around her. It is advised to stop smoking and drinking for atleast a year to six months before trying for your body to heal from the damage that it has already caused.

It will prevent from passing on the effects and the passive harm onto the baby as the counter-effects are directly related to deficiencies, abnormalities and birth complications. There are no studies to confirm what amount of alcohol or smoking is safe, therefore, avoiding it altogether is the best bet. As already discussedd

4.PRENATAL/PRE-CONCEIVING SUPPLEMENTS

The generic idea is to get an assessment done from your gynaecologist before conceiving so that you may know the exact course of action. The gynaecologist might suggest few tests to check some basic parameters and suggest the medication. The Folic Acid and multivitamin supplements are the first to be initiated in all cases. As folic acid levels for pregnancy are difficult to attain through a usual diet, it is supplemented by over the counter (OTC) meds. Appropriate folic acid levels help to provide maximum protection against neural tube defects.

Rohini is a working mother of a four YO boy and an active PinkNBlu member parent who shared her experience with us. "We were planning to try to conceive from May 2018. When I got sick in January 2018, my doctor suggested some tests and found my haemoglobin level was low, and prescribed a three-month medication for iron, which had a folic acid component also. By May, my iron levels were up, and I got pregnant in June. My gynaecologist told us that getting the right iron and folic supplements was a wise choice before conceiving and ensured that my pregnancy is healthy. I was lucky to know my deficiency beforehand, I suggest all preparing-to-be-mothers should get a checkup done and leave nothing to chance".

5.KNOW WHAT YOU EAT

Like any machine, your body is fueled by food. Fooding habits play an active role while conceiving, during pregnancy and post-delivery recovery. Following a healthy diet involves cutting down on excess junk food, caffeinated beverages, deep-fried food, and alongside including healthy options to your food strata like good fats, more fibre and proteins, carbohydrates, for energizing your body and promote healthy weight development of the baby. Avoiding ready-to-eat or packaged food is also advised as they contain added flavours ,preservatives without any salubrious nutrients. As the nutrition source of a developing baby inside the womb is directly proportional to the mother's, the micro and macro nutrients must be well balanced in the mother's body. Decreasing your sugar intake with lesser soda drinks and fruit juices is beneficial for your dental and gut health. A trying-to-conceive healthy diet plan will prepare you for pregnancy food abstinence and increase natural chances of conception and thriving pregnancy.

Miraculously every human body is a different masterpiece. Every human body works and reacts differently, and with the inherent motherly instincts, you would know what suits you and when you are ready to accept the responsibility of motherhood. Your mental health, family structure and financial position is equally significant towards this life-changing decision.

We have compiled the the above points to help you to reach optimum health before you start trying to conceive. You can adopt the self-checks to your lifestyle asap, for other technical and healthcare-related points, a clarification from your doctor or gynaecologist will clear your doubts and boost your confidence on the way to motherhood.

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Easy And Healthy Refreshing Food/beverage Ideas To Keep Your Kids Cool In Summer!

Easy And Healthy Refreshing Food/beverage Ideas To Keep Your Kids Cool In Summer! — pinknblu

Summers in our country with soaring temperatures and intense loo are distress for kids. Keeping the body cool and avoiding dehydration is essential, especially for kids who drain energy rapidly being active 24*7. The loss of nutrients and water through sweat cannot be couped up by water only, hence they need supplemental food/beverage items to keep them cool and energy-balanced.

Offering a variety of foods or beverages that beat the heat and avoid dehydration can be challenging, as the kids always demand variations and do not bend their will to a monotonous menu. Sounds Familiar?

So here’s is a list of simple and delicious treats for kids that look mouthwatering without compromising nutritional benefits! These are easy to procure, store and prepare without needing to wear your Chef hat! You can name them as you want and assign them to each day of the week to keep the kids looking forward, they will gulp them down in a matter of seconds.

1. CURD (DAHI) 

A healthy probiotic -curd has innumerable health benefits known to all Indian households as it is easy to prepare at home or procure from the market. Curd can be consumed in its original form or turned into a variety of beverage or dishes.

Chaas (buttermilk)

Is a traditional palette cleanser for many communities in our country. Mix water and curd to make smooth consistency with a pinch of salt, sugar, chaat masala, and jeera powder for a lip-smacking cooling beverage.

Lassi 

It is a sweet, thickly churned form of curd with the goodness of natural milk cream. It is a perfect cool drink for summer evenings in place of regular milkshakes. It energises and keeps the tummy filled for a long time

Curd Raita

Can be included in every meal using variations like boondi or veggies like cucumber, mint, tomato onions in curd with a pinch of salt and jeera powder. As yummy as it tastes, it is an equally healthy way to incorporate a probiotic in every meal that aids in digestion and maintains body temperature.

Greek Yoghurt 

Ready-to-eat probiotic greek yoghurt is also a great option occasionally. Try to opt for fresh and natural ingredient yoghurts having a shorter shelf-life as they contain less or no preservatives.

2. FRUIT POPSICLES AND ICE CUBES

The excitement for typical mango or orange popsicle is still intact in all kids through generations. While it is not healthy to offer ready-made popsicles due to the uncertainty of the ingredients used, homemade popsicles are a great option.

Fruit popsicles

A popsicle mould and fresh fruits are all you need. To make fruit popsicles, puree the fruits like watermelon, oranges, blueberries, strawberry, kiwi, back grapes, mango, or any other fruit in the grinder, add some water for consistency, put them in a popsicle mould and freeze! Ready to eat popsicles will be gone in minutes with all the nutritional goodness of seasonal fruits intact and no added sugar and preservatives! Try the rainbow popsicle for a fun-filled activity with your kids during summer.

Fruit ice cubes

Prepare the fruit puree as above, put them in moulds of any shape (ice-cube size) and freeze. Ask the kids to add one or two fruit cubes to the regular water every time. It will prompt the kids to drink more water and infuse fruit benefits without you needing to monitor. Mint, lemon or watermelon ice-cubes are more popular among kids.

3. MILK

Can we even mention all the option that we can make out of milk to survive through the scorching summers. Milk is a staple drink for kids when it comes to a quick snack before playtime or school.

Smoothies

Curd, Milk, fruits, nuts, cream and everything healthy can be dropped together into the grinder and made into a delectable cool and creamy drink. Flavour, thick consistency and great colours of smoothies always excite the kids and are an instant and lasting energy source that helps the sweet tooth during summers with compact nutrition. Create new flavours using different fruits and nuts, or replace milk with curd or ice cream to serve a new variety each time. For example, if the kids don't eat the banana, offering a banana smoothie might be an easy way to get their daily quota into their tummies.

Milkshakes/ Flavoured Milk

I don't like milkshakes, said no child ever! When you run out of ideas or fruits, whip up a chocolate or a plain vanilla milkshake or the traditional Kesar, rose, khas flavoured milk made from natural squashed pulps to create instant yummy milk treats. 

Custard

Slow boil milk with custard powder to make thick creamy, and delicious custard milk, then cool it in the fridge and served with lots of fruits in it. The kids will lick it clean, stay full and energised with all the goodness of milk and fruits. Alternatively, you can also freeze the custard milk to use as homemade ice cream and improvise it with cinnamon powder, Kesar, cardamon or any other flavour as per your kids' choice.

4. INDIAN COLD DRINKS 

The credit goes to our Indian heritage that we have so many water drinks ideas passed on from our ancestors that are perfect for summer health. These drinks keep you cool, prevent dehydration, balance micro-nutrients and electrolytes (salts that balance sodium and salt level in the body to prevent dehydration) and are homemade with traditional spices that build up immunity. Most of them can be prepared fresh every day and stored in the fridge, we bet the kids will gulp them down, and you wouldn't even know it!

Aam Panna

The super coolant and cure for extreme heat strokes is a tasty treat made from raw mango, mint leaves and traditional spices and condiments. Easy to prepare and store in the fridge, drinking aam panna before and after a trip in the sun prevents heat strokes and is very prominently used by adults as well.

Aam Ras 

Highly popular mango pulp or aam ras extracted from choicest seasonal mangoes is a mouthwatering delicacy that can be enjoyed with a regular meal of roti sabji or as a post-meal cold desert. Mangoes are densely infused with micronutrients and a rich source of vitamins, magnesium and potassium.

Neebu Pani 

Another great warrior of summer is neebu pani (Lemon water). Squeeze lemon in cold water, add a pinch of salt, jeera powder, rock salt and sugar to prepare an instant energy drink that is suitable to have at any time during the day! Prepare some mint ice cubes as above and serve them in lemon water for a taste change and surprise the kids with a new variety.

Coconut water

This natural drink has innumerable nutritional properties, preventing dehydration is one of them. As tasty and refreshing it is to have, it is naturally formulated with perfect electrolytes required to maintain the sodium and mineral balance of our body that help to keep us hydrated. It is best to use coconut water directly from the coconuts than the ready-made packaged coconut water as they contain preservatives and artificial sugar.

5. FRUIT CHOCOLATES

Lure your kids to eat more fruits with chocolate wrapped fruit bits. Dice small pieces of fruits like strawberry, mango, grapes and dip them in melted dark chocolate (because dark chocolate is healthier) to coat them in a thin layer and then insert 1/3rd portion of a toothpick in each piece. Place them in an ice cube tray or on a plate in the refrigerator to freeze and create fruit chocolates. The cold taste of fruits and chocolate will be a star of options of evening snacks.

Summer means extra fun with extended bath time and not worrying about catching a cold, slurping on tasty liquid treats, ice creams, but summer also needs precise attention to the hydration of kids. As per the experts, with temperatures rising as high as 50 degrees across the country, kids need to be well hydrated even when indoors, because they are always active and dissipate more energy, increasing the chance of dehydration.

It can be a task to keep everything available immediately, offer a variety and monitor nutrition as well! We hope these easy ideas will help to tackle the summers and not letting kids drop their energy!

Training them to drink water more often is a habit that goes a long way to maintaining health not only in summer but during all seasons.

Phew! Let's go, it's time to drink water!

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Fever In Children (confusing With Covid-19 Symptoms) And When To Reach Out To The Doctor

Fever In Children (confusing With Covid-19 Symptoms) And When To Reach Out To The Doctor- Pinknblu

Seeing your child sick is a heartbreaking scene, and a slight fever is enough to alert the parental instincts and switch on the protective emergency mode!

Fever is a sign of the body's immune system fighting against an underlying infection, and in the case of children, a temperature above 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit is considered a fever and at certain times may need to be addressed medically.

Fever Basics

1. Fever in babies below 6 months always needs medical attention irrespective of the temperature. Their immune system and other biological systems are still under development and not ready to fight infections causing the fever.

2. For children of age 6 months upto 36 months, a temperature above 100.4 degrees but is maintained below 102 is usually nothing to worry about. With this temperature range, if your child is eating well, behaving normally, the fever should go away on its own in a day or two.

3. In children of age above 3 years, fever measure upto 102 degrees Fahrenheit is not concerning unless the child is in discomfort or has headache, body pain. If any other symptoms occur along with a fever, it is advised to reach out to a medical practitioner.

4. If you are not sure about your child's fever/temperature and feel that the child is in pain, immediately seek the advice of your health care provider.

What is a Fever?

The body temperature is maintained by our inbuilt "thermostat" found in the hypothalamus part of our brain. The hypothalamus instructs the body to maintain the temperature in the normal range (Avg. of 98.6°F/37°C). If an infection or illness is detected by the body, the hypothalamus adjusts the thermostat to raise the temperature to make the body unsuitable for the infection-causing agent to survive.

That is why the experts say having a fever is a healthy sign that your body is equipped to fight any infection-causing pathogens and other germs.

Reasons for Fever

Infections

Germs such as viruses or bacterias can cause common illness in the body. The body reacts to the invasion of the unwanted pathogen by a natural defence mechanism called fever to stop them from growing further.

Viral infections are the most common reason for a fever in children and are rarely a sign of severe illness. They usually go away on their own and can be treated by over the counter medicines prescribed by doctors.

As per studies conducted by the experts, about 95% of children below 5 years of age have a fever atleast thrice a year attributed to infection and the frequency of fevers reduces over time in children due to natural improvement in immunity.

Immunization

Almost all children, irrespective of their age group, get a mild fever after their vaccination.

Teething Fever

When the kids are teething, some might have a fever (not above 100°F/38.9°C) for a day or two accompanied by diarrhoea.

Overdressing

Too many layers of clothing can obstruct the heat from evaporating from the body, and it might cause a rise in body temperature. It is essential that children, especially infants, are wearing weather-appropriate clothing because their bodies cannot regulate their temperature as adults and cause overheating, resulting in a fever.

NOTE: As mentioned above, any grade of fever in infants below 6 months of age needs immediate medical attention.

How to measure a Fever?

A touch of the arm to your child's skin, especially on the forehead, hands or feet, is enough to decide that the child has a fever. However, measuring the temperature is a must once you confirm that the child seems feverish.

A traditional digital thermometer with readings mentioned here and above state that the child has a fever -

Orally - 100°F (37.8°C),

Rectally - 100.4°F (38°C) or

Axillary position i.e under the arm -99°F (37.2°C).

Nowadays, infrared thermometers are used to reduce contact with the shared surface by different patients. They are easy to use and accurate, and hygienic.

Is the fever a symptom of Covid-19? 

The symptoms of Covid-19 being similar to those of seasonal flu, it's obviously a cause of panic in parents, especially in younger children who cannot explain the problem to their caretakers.

The onset of summers brings a drastic change of season with a vertical rise in temperature, carrying along with a spell of children falling sick. In this dreaded Covid-19 situation, the first thought of every parent is - Is my child having a fever due to Covid-19? Is he coughing due to covid? And there starts the trail of thoughts that provoke severe anxiety.

Fortunately, this strain of the virus has minor effects on children, and they are usually asymptomatic to mildly symptomatic. Regular vaccinations and medications should be continued to prevent the children from getting severely ill during these times and developing a state of panic. The children can be carriers of the virus and hence, prudently, all efforts should be made to prevent them from getting infected.

Unfortunately, the symptoms of Covid-19 do not vary from regular seasonal viral infections, and hence, it is difficult to differentiate between the two types of causes. The only way to confirm is through the Covid-19 test.

Symptoms that need immediate attention

1.A Fever that is persistent, high and not dropping with medication like it does in general flu infections.

2. A Fever that lasts for more than two days and the child is feeling tired more than usual.

3. A fever along with symptoms like diarrhoea, vomiting, loss of appetite, pain while peeing.

4..If the child is not eating properly, is too ill to drink adequate fluids and is sleeping much more than regular sleep.

5. Shortness of breath or elevated/unrhythmic breathing and has developed rashes.

6. The child looks pale or visibly uneasy and affected.

Home Measures for a Fever (Not Covid-19)

1. When the child has a high fever, try a sponge bath with regular water to bring down the temperature.

2.Dress your child in lightweight clothing to help the body heat escape and maintain the room temperature at optimum as per the weather.

3. Keep them hydrated as they tend to lose fluids more than usual due to high body heat.

4. Make them Rest as much as possible to retain their energy levels.

Although fever can be accompanied by a variety of symptoms, it is not an illness in itself and rarely is a sign of something serious.

The two immediate signs to look for, in case of fever, that needs medical aid, are the temperature range and changes in the child's overall behaviour.

Fever or no fever, if your child is acting in a way that concerns you, always call a doctor than waste any time in self-diagnose.

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