The Children of a country represent its future. They must be loved and nurtured. However, due to their slowly developing immune system, children are often susceptible to various bacterial and viral infections. As parents, it is your responsibility to keep your children healthy. This Children's Day, let's look at some ways to ensure your children's health.

Every year, India celebrates Children's Day on the 14th of November to commemorate the birth anniversary of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, India's first Prime Minister. Panditji was fond of children and believed their upbringing could influence and shape our country's future. On this day, educational institutions hold cultural events and schools and parents present children with gifts and sweets.

Children develop their cognitive and social skills in their formative years, which benefit them as they grow older. Here's what parents can do to give their child a healthy childhood.

A child's delicate immune system cannot fend off deadly viruses like polio, hepatitis, tuberculosis, typhoid, etc. However, vaccines help the immune system build antibodies. If they are exposed to the virus in the future, your children will have the necessary antibodies, thanks to immunisation.

While you may keep your home clean, the same cannot be said for schools and playgrounds where children spend most of their time. You must thus teach your children to wash their hands thoroughly. You can also have them carry paper soaps and sanitisers in their bags to inculcate this habit.

Proper nutrition is fundamental to a child's growth and development. Ensure your child's diet comprises all the necessary nutrients like proteins, vitamins, minerals, etc. Instead of forcing, explain why these foods are essential. You can also feed them healthy snacks instead of deep-fried products with preservatives.

Excessive use of phones, tablets, etc., can impact your child's cognitive development. Children can get addicted to these devices, while the blue screens of most gadgets can impact their vision. As parents, you can use these devices as a rewarding mechanism to inculcate healthy habits. You can restrict screen time and supervise your children's online activities.

Regular physical activities can improve your children's cardiorespiratory functions and bone and muscle strength. Activities like sports, martial arts, dance, aerobics, etc., can reduce the risk of heart conditions and obesity.

Factors like pollution, climate change, etc., can negatively impact children's health and lower their life expectancy. Sadly, conditions like diabetes, cancer, and heart and lung diseases are not unheard of in children. Congenital disorders like cystic fibrosis, spina bifida, cerebral palsy, etc., are also common these days.

One way to secure your children's health is to invest in health insurance. Health insurance policies typically cover various medical conditions and safeguard your savings. With health insurance, you can ensure your child gets the necessary treatment whenever required.

This Children's Day, secure your child's health with the right health insurance plan.