Five common parenting mistakes to avoid

Children below five can experience six to eight viral infections a year, and this does not necessarily mean they have weak immunity. Speaking at the India Today HealthWealth Summit, paediatrician Dr Ravi Malik, CMD of Malik Radix Healthcare, explained that children entering school encounter several viruses as their exposure to the outside world increases. “Every mother who comes to my clinic tells me that her child has weak immunity,” Malik said, adding that around 200 types of viruses can cause fever in children. He advised parents to watch for warning signs such as diarrhoea, dehydration, breathing difficulties or rashes, which require prompt medical attention. Dr Madhavi Bhardwaj, paediatrician and founder of Apna Ghar Ashram, highlighted how pollution can affect children's immunity beyond its impact on the lungs. She advised reducing exposure during periods of poor air quality and including healthy fats such as omega-3 in children's diets. The doctors also discussed common parenting mistakes, including excessive screen time, force-feeding, comparing children and failing to establish boundaries. Malik advised no screen exposure below two years and a maximum of one hour of supervised screen time for children aged two to five. Both doctors stressed that childhood health depends on balanced nutrition, vaccinations, hygiene, outdoor activities and healthy parenting practices, rather than simply trying to boost immunity.