What every parent should know if their child isn’t reaching the growth parameters

“As per science, in the first few years of life, more than 1 million neural connections are formed each second – at a pace never repeated. (Source: UNICEF[i])” Here is What every parent should know if their child isn’t reaching the growth parameters!

Is your child the last one amongst his friends to develop motor skills or achieve other milestones? Do you worry that your child isn’t reaching the growth parameters? Firstly, stop worrying, because chances are that your child is taking his own little time. Kids grow and develop skills at their own pace; hence the milestones are established with an age bracket. These age brackets also mean that the child should be able to learn the specific activities by the time they reach the higher levels of the bracket. Reaching these milestones later than the age bracket could be a sign of development delay which makes parents concerned about child development in those early years. So, here are some points every parent should know to assess if their child is reaching all milestones. This is something to also discuss in detail with your child’s doctor.

Now, you might ask how I can identify if my child isn’t reaching the growth parameters. Or when I should worry about my child’s development. So, let me tell you, as a parent you know your child best. Keep an eye on symptoms of delayed growth if any and develop the right eating habits from a young age.

We are eating home-cooked food, then why isn’t my child reaching milestones?

This is another common question among parents. It’s not all about home-cooked meals only. There are a lot of factors that may result in any delay reaching growth parameters, such as genetics, physical activity, nutrition and gender are a few factors that can affect growth. [ii]

1. Right Nutrition is the key:

An age-appropriate nutritional diet has the biggest influence on healthy development and height after genetics. Along with foods rich in protein, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals, the diet should also include crucial nutrients for child development like Arginine and Vitamin K2. [iii] This can be achieved by helping children develop healthy eating habits from a young age. You may

• Provide them seasonal vegetables, fruits, and wholegrain products.
• Include milk or dairy products, including cheese and yoghurt
• Add plant-based proteins, or lean meats, poultry, fish in their diet
• Encourage them to drink water periodically
• Limiting consumption of sugar and saturated fat

Also Read: Is delayed growth a long term effect of fussy eating?

2. Initiate right steps early on:

It’s important to start giving your child the right food with all essential nutrients. This will help the child reach their full height and potential. A balanced and colourful meal each day is important to ensure the right growth. Sometimes kids do get fussy and may not eat the way we want them to! It can get worrisome for parents, but there are always solutions. I began to include PediaSure in his diet, which is carefully made keeping in mind the nutritional needs of our growing children. It also has micronutrients like Arginine and Vitamin K2 which are crucial nutrients when it comes to bone growth. [iv] To fill in those nutritional gaps, PediaSure has been so helpful!

3. Exercise and stay fit –[sa1]

It goes without saying that physical activity, fun and games are important for kids to stay active and energetic. Any kind of games, swimming, yoga are some fun activities we include to stay fit. Physical activity also helps them work up an appetite and they might not fuss over food! So, let your kid play right, jump, hang or walk to get some vitamin D every day. [vi]

4. Good night and sleep tight

Even though the activities throughout the day regulate growth hormones but it is said that our body grows at night because secretions of human growth hormone peak throughout the night. [vii] Young children need around 10-13 hours of sleep at night[sa2] .[viii] So, make a good night-time routine and put them to bed early for some undisturbed sound sleep.

Switching off computers, TV, and mobiles at least an hour before sleep time could help their body ease into a good night’s sleep.

These are a few tips that I follow at home and it helps me stay worry-free! It’s important to remember that every small change in daily life can lead to success in the long run! So, identify the issues that are hindering your children’s growth and help them eat right, exercise right, and sleep right!

References:

• [i] https://www.unicef.org/early-childhood-development
• [ii] https://www.healthline.com/health/is-height-genetic#genetics
• [iii] https://pediasure.in/about-pediasure/pediasure-overview
• [iv] https://www.abbott.in/media-center/press-releases/abbott-launches-new-PediaSure-in-india.html#:~:text=PediaSure%2C%20a%20complete%20and%20balanced,further%20support%20catch%2Dup%20growth.
• [v] https://sg.theasianparent.com/exercises-grow-taller
• [vi] https://www.nationwidechildrens.org/family-resources-education/health-wellness-and-safety-resources/helping-hands/exercises-stretching
• [vii] https://www.nutritionnews.abbott/pregnancy-childhood/kids-growth/6-signs-your-kid-is-having-a-growth-spurt/
• [viii] https://www.sleepfoundation.org/children-and-sleep/how-much-sleep-do-kids-need

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****THIS IS A SPONSORED BLOG POST AND A PART OF A PUBLIC AWARENESS CAMPAIGN BY PEDIASURE INDIA. THE POST IS MEANT TO SHARE my EXPERIENCE and quick guide for every parent to know if their child isn’t reaching the growth parameters. ALSO HOW AS A PARENT, WE CAN DEAL WITH IT.

The opinions expressed in this post are the personal views of the author. They do not reflect the views of any brand. Any omissions or errors at the author’s end does not assume any liability or responsibility on any party mentioned in the blog.