Parents, keep in mind: Less than 20% urban kids in India eat fruits once a day

Only 18% of urban children in grade six to 10 in India eat fruits every day, show the results of a survey, revealing poor eating habits of a vast majority of kids in the country. At 14%, the proportion of children eating protein once a day is even lower, showed the survey by Podar Education Group which runs over 100 schools spread across the country. The survey involved responses from 1,350 parents of children studying in grade six to 10 in India’s metro cities. The results showed that only 35%…

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Dear parents, watch out for these 9 signs that indicate your kid needs an eye test

With the proliferation of screens in our lives – phone screen, tablets, Kindles, computers – television isn’t the only source of eye strain for kids and adults. But, unlike in case of adults, it is harder to gauge when children develop vision issues. “More often than not, vision problems go unnoticed until children begin school,” said associate professor of Ophthalmology Marcela Frazier, “Children grow up naturally adapting to vision issues, so when they get into school and start reading and learning, that is when parents and teachers begin to notice…

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Dear parents, take note. Cholera vaccines are less effective for children under 5

Vaccines are helping India wipe out several diseases. When it comes to cholera though, things may be different. A study has found that cholera vaccines provide significantly less protection for children under the age five, a population particularly at risk of dying from the diarrhoeal disease. A team of researchers at Johns Hopkins University in the US conducted a review of literature, which considered seven clinical trials and six observational studies. They found that the standard two-dose vaccine regimen reduced the risk of getting cholera on average by 58% for adults but only…

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83% parents believe almonds are best snack for kids

Nearly 83 per cent of parents feel that consuming almonds — a natural source of many essential nutrients, including protein and healthy fats — makes their children remain more energetic throughout the day, a survey shows. The survey, led by market research company Ipsos, found that 94 per cent of mothers in both Tier I and II cities, rank “almonds specifically” as the healthiest form of snacking.  Parents believe that almonds help boost brain development and are essential for healthy and stronger bones in addition to providing a daily dose…

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3,800 Mumbai parents protest against fee hike, write to CM demanding refund

Stepping up their attack against schools flouting norms pertaining to fee hike, parents wrote to chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Sunday and demanded it roll back claiming that it violates the Maharashtra Educational Institutions Regulation of Collection of Fee Act, 2011. They also demanded refund of the amount already paid. Parents staged a day-long protest at Azad Maidan on Sunday against the exorbitant fee hike by schools for the upcoming academic session. This is the second protest by parents in the past two months. Though it saw a low turnout…

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Dear parents, here’s what you can do to prevent peanut allergy in kids

A panel of experts says you can prevent development of peanut allergy in your kids by introducing foods containing peanuts until five years of age. Clinical trial results showed that regular peanut consumption begun in infancy and continued until five years of age led to an 81 percent reduction in development of peanut allergy in infants deemed at high risk because they already had severe eczema, egg allergy or both. According to researchers, people living with peanut allergy and their caregivers must be vigilant about the foods they eat and…

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