How to protect children from the kathiri veyyil - peak summer?
Posted on: 05/May/2017 10:23:22 AM
Agni Nakshatram or Kathiri Veyyil or the peak summer period in Tamil Nadu starts on 4th March and ends on 28th May.
The intensity of heat will be at the peak during this period. Here are a few suggestions on how to protect the children from this oppressive heat.
Airy clothes:
The children are free for the moment from school uniforms – but do not use silk/velvet clothing items in the summer – Cotton is the best for summer. Also, ensure that the clothing items are not tight-fitting type but quite loose-fitting ones.
Diet control:
Do not eat fried items – especially spicy, masala fried items. On the other hand, eat a lot of vegetables with fibre, buttermilk, and fruit juices are very much ok. Gruel varieties are also ok (Called kanji in Tamil). Remember and watch the kids to wash their hands before eating – this would prevent any infectious diseases.
Vaccines:
During the summer peak, children are very likely to be affected by small-pox, cholera, typhoid, jaundice, etc. As there are ready vaccines available for preventing these, ensure that the children get shots.
Sweating is good:
It is better for all age groups to take bath twice in the day – in the mornings and the evenings. Ordinary soap will do. Avoid spraying powder after the bath. There are small pores on our skin and these might get blocked by the powder. The heat will not be released leading to skin problems. Sweating is good. So, do not make any attempts to block it with – perfumes, sandal, powder, etc.
Do you use air conditioner?
In the present living style, the air conditioners have proliferated in the offices as well as homes. If you must use air conditioner, keep it under a uniform temperature without frequently changing the settings. Ensure that the chill air does not blow on the face/body of the sleeping children. Get the children acclimatized to open windows, fans and the natural air/breeze.
Play in the sun?
As it is the vacation period, you cannot bar the children from playing. However, do not allow them to play in the sun after 9.00 AM. Allow them to play outside only after 5.00 PM.
How about infants?
This is rather easy as they are stationed inside the house. For infants up to 6 months, mother’s milk alone is sufficient. Then we start feeding solid food after 6 months, give them fruit juices. Use only cotton clothing. Avoid spraying powder on the infant’s body after bath.
