Protecting Kids in Monsoon: Monsoon Care Tips for Kids

7 monsoon care tips for kids

Nature comes to life in the rain. But as much as we love the monsoons, it comes with its own set of challenges, like water and foodborne diseases, for instance. Dampness in the environment rises in the monsoon and that encourages the spread of infectious germs. Thus, it becomes imperative to protect kids from the potential dangers of this season.  

Monsoon care for kids requires taking several precautions to ensure their safety. It’s important that you stay informed, educate children about risks, and secure your home. 

Below is the list of 7 tips that will help you take care your kids care during monsoon:

• Apt clothing is essential for kids

• Get them to eat right

• Take care of their skin and hair

• Make it a habit for them 

• Make it a habit for them to wash hands

• Make them drink boiled water 

• Keep your surroundings clean

• Pay attention to personal hygiene of your kids

• Avoid playing near water bodies

• Use proper footwear

• Stay away from electrical wires

• Apt clothing is essential for kids

The weather changes drastically in monsoons. It can be increasingly chilly at night and so, while soft and light clothing is fine during the day, you must add an extra layer of full-sleeve clothing to keep your kids warm during the night.

Also, make sure that your kids’ wardrobes are dry. As dampness in clothes is common in monsoon, it can cause rashes and itchiness. You can even iron your kids’ clothes slightly to make the fabric dry and comfortable before they wear them. You can also rinse the clothes with an antiseptic while washing them to prevent fungus from growing. Avoid synthetic and nylon fibres as they can irritate the skin. Cotton clothes are recommended for child care during monsoons. 

• Get them to eat right

Make sure that your kids eat only home-cooked food during monsoons. Try to include things like ginger, turmeric, Tulsi leaves, mint, seasonal fresh fruits like cherries, guava, banana, papaya, pomegranate, plums and jamuns, and dry fruits in your kids’ daily diet. Avoid bringing home outside food and fermented and fried foods. 

Fruits and vegetables hold an important place in your kids’ diet. Rich in nutrients such as potassium, fibre, folate, phytochemicals and vitamins like A, E, C, K, fruits help build long-term immunity in kids and keep diseases at bay. Vegetables like beans, cucumber, tomatoes, and gourds are good for your kids' health, especially during the rainy season. Also, avoid serving your kids pre-cut fruits or salads. Dry fruits and nuts are also great to boost the immunity of kids during the rainy season.

• Take care of their skin and hair

Humidity can cause skin infections or rashes in kids. So, you must ensure that your kids’ skin is hydrated by applying a moisturising lotion that protects their skin from irritation and dryness.

Also, sweat and moisture can clog the pores on your kids’ scalp, and itchy scalp and tangled hair are all so common during the monsoons. You must wash your kids’ hair at least twice a week with a gentle shampoo to keep their scalp healthy and clean.

• Make it a habit for them to wash hands

Washing hands frequently, or at least six to eight times a day is important for kids care during rainy season. Handwashing is one of the effective means to stop the spread of infection. Washing the feet and hands whenever your kid comes home from outside is important. 

• Keep your surroundings clean

The most important tip for monsoon care for kids is that it is very important to keep your surroundings clean in monsoon. Remove stagnant water, prevent wet walls, and keep windows closed when raining, among others to keep your surroundings dry and clean. This prevents flies, mosquitoes, and other disease-carrying insects from entering into your house. You must clean the floor twice during the rainy season and add some floor cleaners and antiseptics to the water for cleaning the floor. 

• Pay attention to personal hygiene of your kids

The hygiene of children is as important as the cleanliness of the surrounding environment. The best way to look after children during monsoon is to maintain their personal hygiene. Sweating in humid weather can cause the germs to accumulate and lead to fungal infections. Bathe them with an antiseptic soap every day to help prevent skin problems like rashes and allergies during monsoon.

• Avoid playing near water bodies

Advise children to stay away from streams, rivers, and flooded areas. Swift currents and rising water levels pose a significant risk during monsoons. Explain the dangers of playing or swimming in these areas.

• Use proper footwear

Ensure that children wear appropriate footwear, such as rubber shoes or boots, to protect their feet from contaminated water, sharp objects, or snake bites.

• Make them drink boiled water 

Excessive rainfall in this season can hamper sanitation facilities, decrease water quality, and force households to source water from unsafe sources. This affects your kids’ health and nutrition, which can cause diseases like diarrhoea. You must be extra cautious in the monsoons. Get your children in the habit of drinking only boiled water. You can even add some ajwain to it for a better effect. Also, after the child drinks water, you must discard the remaining water and wipe the container clean as used utensils attract flies.

• Stay away from electrical wires

Teach children to avoid touching electrical wires or electrical equipment during monsoon season, especially if they are wet. Water can conduct electricity and pose a significant danger.

Kids need care in all seasons, but monsoon care is different. The monsoon season needs your extra carefulness as several diseases prevail in this season. Following a healthy and hygienic schedule can keep your kids in monsoon safe and make the season enjoyable for them.