Are you worried about your kids stunted growth, we will discuss 4 reasons that cause stunted growth in kids.
Before we jump to the points, we need to understand, these points are general. One must take expert advice with regular monitoring with a qualified dietitian. Growth is related to diet & lifestyle, hence a medical advice may not be beneficail.
1. Absence of balanced diet
Kids are pickey eaters. They choose certain foods over others. They go by taste. New parents are overwhelmed and want to feed the child. Hence they provide whatever the child eats so that at least they aren’t left hungry.
They also get advice, as the child grows they will learn, so it’s ok to make such choices.
We must understand, food is a new concept to a small child, they will need some time and efforts to get accostomed to healthy eating. We cannot compromise on balanced diet. Obviously all nutrients are important for proper growth and development of the child.
2. Lack of Physical Activity
Only eating healthy diesn’t help, the child needs to be physically active so that blood circulation is good, bones and muscles grow. Brain develops and there is overall growth and developemnt of the organ systems.
Kids are getting used to screens from a very young age. I know parents and relatives gifting tablets at young age of 1.5-2 years of age too. Parents are busy, want their home to be neat and tidy, don’t want thier child to get hurt and thus screen is the solution.
Please accept, your home cannot be tidy all the time with kids, and if they play and explore, they will get hurt sometimes. It’s ok. Try to keep child protective furniture, but not stop their physical activity.
Take them to parks, museums, picnics, boating, treaking, whatever is posssible in you city. If both parents are working, take services from a trustworthy househelp. Let them play in mud, sand, clay, not the clay available in stores with chemical paint, actual clay. Do not take them to malls for video games, take them to places where they will have physical activity.
Kids naturally wish to be energetic, you just need to create the environment.
3 Lack of sleep
Growth hormone is dependant on sleep according to circadian rhythm. Tt is secreted during deep, slow-wave sleep (SWS), typically within the first few hours of sleep (roughly 11 p.m. to 2 a.m.). If the child isn’t sleeping at that time, the growth of the child will be hampered.
It is common nowadays parents say that kids do not sleep at night. We have to create environment. If some family members are watching TV or mom is watching mobile in bed and expect kids to go and sleep. Early training helps, it does takes first year of infancy to develop the habit, but mostly after that it becomes settled.
Family has to support the new mother. She cannot handle everything alone. the child needs to feel safe, and that will happen when mother is feeling safe and not panicked. First year post pregnancy is a vulnerable time for both mother and child. Family should take care, feed them well, and be supportive.
4. Ultra processed foods
It is clearly understood, if children are filling on ultra-processed foods, they will not eat balanced meals and hence, will not have proper growth and development.
Sometimes only homely meals are also not enough unless they are balanced. IF we keep giving home made fries, pakoras, tikkis, cheelas, laddues, cakes, biscuits prepared with lots of ghee, oil, butter we are still not giving balanced meals.
Tummy would be full in such case, but the meals are still not healthy. Most families do not have habit of taking fruits, nuts and seeds, enough protein rich foods on daily basis. Mostly current family meal scenario is carboydrates and fats.
Hence, whether junk is bought in packets or made at home, it’s still junk. Oats flour made cake still is sugary and needs a lot of fat. Why not nuts, dried fruits or fruits instead as a snack?
Final Word
All these are very challenging situations. In the current world scenario, it is easier to advice than follow. New parents need guidance. Take help, talk to qualified dietitian and help your kids reach genetic potential of growth.
