In Bangladesh's hot weather, air conditioners (ACs) and coolers often become necessities to beat the heat. However, as a parent, ensuring your baby’s comfort and wellbeing in such environments can be tricky. Babies are more sensitive to temperature changes, and without proper care, they might catch a cold. So, how do you balance the need for cooling while keeping your baby healthy?  Why Babies Catch Cold Under ACs  Babies Have Weaker Immune Systems Babies, especially newborns, have developing immune systems. This means they are more susceptible to catching colds and infections, which can be triggered by their surrounding ambients, such as exposure to cold air from ACs. Rapid Temperature Changes One key reason babies catch cold under ACs is the rapid shift from warm to cool temperatures. Imagine stepping out of a hot, humid day into a chilled room—you will feel the difference immediately. For babies, such abrupt changes in temperature can hurt their respiratory system, making them more prone to colds and related illnesses. Read more: How to comfortably travel with babies Dry Air in AC Rooms ACs tend to remove moisture from the air and make the room dry. Babies’ nasal passages can get dried out, making them more vulnerable to respiratory issues and colds. They may also experience dry skin, which can lead to discomfort.  Babies' Inability to Regulate Body Temperature Unlike adults, babies cannot regulate their body temperature effectively. This means they might feel colder or warmer than you do under the same conditions. Though a room’s temperature might seem comfy for grown-up children and adults, it can be too cold for a baby, increasing risk of catching a cold. 

Dengue fever is a prevalent mosquito-borne viral disease that affects people of all ages, including babies and children. It is caused by the dengue virus, which is primarily transmitted through the bite of infected Aedes mosquitoes. In Bangladesh, dengue fever poses a significant health risk, particularly during the monsoon season when mosquito population increases. So during this time taking proper measurements to safeguard people especially babies and children from dengue fever is very important.  Dengue Symptoms in Babies and Children Recognising the symptoms of dengue fever in babies and children is crucial for timely intervention. While some individuals may experience mild symptoms or remain asymptomatic, others may develop severe manifestations. Common signs of dengue fever in babies and children are included below.  - High fever often reaching 104°F (40°C) or higher for 2 to 7 days- Rash usually after the fever subsides- HeadacheBody aches includeing joint and muscle pain - Nausea, vomiting, and loss of appetite- Fatigue and weakness- Bleeding from the nose, gums, or small bruises in severe casesEye Pain Read more: Read more: Dengue Fever: Symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, prevention It's important to note that symptoms can vary from mild to severe, and some children may not exhibit all of these symptoms. If you suspect your child has dengue fever, it's essential to consult a healthcare professional for proper diagnosis and treatment. 10 Prevention Measures to Save Babies and Children from Dengue  Protecting babies and children from dengue fever requires a comprehensive approach that focuses on prevention. Here are ten essential tips to safeguard babies and children from dengue fever. Eliminate Mosquito Breeding Sites Mosquitoes that transmit the dengue virus breed in standing water. Try to regularly inspect your surroundings and eliminate any sources of stagnant water. It would be wise to empty and clean water containers such as flower pots, buckets, and pet bowls, ensuring that water storage tanks are tightly covered. Also discard any items that can collect water, such as old tyres or unused containers. Overall try to keep your surroundings clean and tidy. Read more: Dengue Prevention: 10 Home Remedies to Repel Mosquitoes Use Mosquito Nets and Screens When your child is sleeping, you can ensure a mosquito-free sleep environment by installing fine mesh mosquito nets over beds and windows. Make sure the nets are properly tucked in and free from holes. This creates a physical barrier that effectively prevents mosquito bites.  Wear Protective Clothing It is suggested to dress your child in clothing that covers their arms, legs, and feet. Lightweight, loose-fitting, long-sleeved shirts and long pants are recommended. Tucking the pants into socks and choosing closed-toe shoes can further reduce exposed skin. Light-colored clothing is preferable as mosquitoes are attracted to darker colors. Add Immunity Boosting Foods to Diet Having a strong immune system provides better defense against diseases, including dengue fever. Enhancing immunity can be achieved by incorporating certain foods into your children's diet. These include yogurt, turmeric, ginger, garlic, spinach, citrus fruits, and almonds, all of which contribute to strengthening the immune system. Read more: Best Foods to Increase Platelets in Dengue Fever

It is exciting to introduce new foods to your baby. However, not all kinds of foods are suitable for babies. Some foods may cause a choking hazard to young eaters, while others may pose health risks. Let’s take a look at which foods to avoid feeding babies and young children.  12 Harmful Foods for babies and young kids  Salted foods Babies aged between 7-12 months need 0.37grams of sodium each day. Experts say that naturally healthy and full-term infants can get this requirement from breast milk or formula. So, you don’t need to add salt to your baby’s food. Remember, if a baby consumes extra salt, it exposes them to excess sodium, which is not good at all for their immature kidneys. Make sure you don’t add salt to your baby's food or cooking water and avoid stock cubes or gravy because they are most often high in salt. Read How to Encourage Your Child to Try New Food? Besides these, parents should refrain from feeding readymade, highly processed, high-sodium foods, such as chips, crisps, fries, bacon, and sausages. Accessive amounts of sodium or salt can create hyperosmolarity in the baby which the kidneys of the baby may not handle . Refined sugar/ Sugary foods Research has shown that it is not wise to add sugar to the food of babies under 24 months. Experts also say that babies shouldn’t eat only sugar or as a part of the food. Because sugar adds additional calories to the diet of babies which can cause tooth decay over time.  Many parents tend to add refined sugar to their baby’s milk. Babies who take sugar during the months of infancy and early childhood may develop a preference for sweet foods.  Read Helping Kids with Sharing: How to teach a child to share Babies who prefer sugary foods are at a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes and obesity later in life. Honey Honey is a great natural sweetener; rich in minerals and antioxidants. It is considered a healthy alternative to sugar.  However, babies under 12 months shouldn’t consume honey due to the infant botulism risk created by the spores of the bacteria Clostridium botulinum. Infant botulism in babies under 1 is a serious and rarely fatal illness that can cause constipation, weakened sucking, poor appetite, lethargy, and even potentially pneumonia and dehydration. Read How to entertain an unwell child without screen time Adding to these, honey contains significant amounts of sugar, which poses the same health risks as refined sugar does upon overconsumption.  Therefore, parents shouldn’t feed honey to their babies under 12 months. Cow’s milk Cow’s milk is great for adults. Whole cow milk provides several nutrients, However, it is not suitable for babies under 1 year.  Babies should not consume cow's milk as it can be hard for them to digest.  Read How to deal with your demanding child? Besides, cow's milk doesn't have all the required nutrients like iron, zinc, and vitamin E that a baby needs to grow and develop during his or her first year. The baby usually develops allergic reactions and as cow’s milk is allergic, you should avoid it for your baby.  Moreover, cow’s milk has heavy proteins and minerals that put undue stress on a baby’s immature kidneys. These proteins can irritate the baby’s digestive system lining, causing occult bleeding, and increasing the risk of iron deficiency anemia (IDA) over time. Read How physical punishment affects children and alternative ways to discipline them Cheese You can feed your babies some types of cheese as it is a good source of calcium, protein, and vitamins.  But babies should not be fed mold-ripened soft cheeses including brie, goat cheese, or blue cheese; because these types of cheeses have a higher risk of carrying listeria (bacteria).  Cheeses that are made from unpasteurized milk carry the extra risk of listeria, and babies and young children should not consume these foods. Read How to comfortably travel with babies Fruit juice Fruit juice contains calories but none of the fat, protein, calcium, zinc, vitamin D, or fiber that babies need. Taking too much juice can cause tooth decay, diarrhea, and other chronic tummy troubles. Whole nuts and peanuts Parents shouldn’t give whole nuts and peanuts to children under 5 years old. These foods are not suitable for the digestion system of young children.  However, you can give crushed, ground, or smooth nut or peanut butter to your baby from around 6 months old. Read Excessive Crying in Infants: Possible Reasons, Tips of Soothing But if your baby has food allergies or other allergies in your family, talk to doctor before introducing nuts and peanuts to your baby’s food menu.  Raw and lightly cooked eggs You can give eggs to your baby from around 6 months. Hen’s egg is suitable for babies and young children. But don’t feed them raw and lightly cooked eggs. Cook the egg as long as both the white and yolk become solid.  Refined grains Nutritionist says that all carbs are not equally nutritious.  Read Breastfed Infant’s Slow Weight Gain: Common symptoms, reasons, solutions Complex carbs provide naturally-occurring nutrients that are stripped during the refining process and ultimately they turn into whole grains white.  Whole grains are also rich in fiber to keep blood sugar steady. So avoid refined grains and opt for 100 percent whole-grain pasta, bread, cereal, rice, and crackers. Raw vegetables and fruits You should avoid giving babies raw vegetables and fruits to eat.  Read Why Self Care of Moms is Important: Tips for busy mothers For example, baby carrots, celery, corn, and green peas may create choking hazards for babies. However, babies can eat these vegetables when they are thoroughly cooked and properly softened.  Babies can eat raw fruits like Berries when they are cut into small pieces.  Sticky foods Babies should avoid sticky foods like raw jelly cubes, chewy fruits, snacks, marshmallows, and a dollop of peanut butter. These foods stick to the mouth, so it is difficult for babies to swallow them. Experts recommend avoiding these foods for young children until they are four years old. Read Common Sleep Problems in Children: Causes, Symptoms, Ways to Help Rice drinks Rice is a common grain that is used as a supportive food for babies. But when it comes to rice drinks like rice milk, experts recommend children under five years of age shouldn’t have rice milk as a substitute for breast milk or infant formula. You need to avoid rice drinks as they may have high amounts of inorganic arsenic, which can affect the cognitive development of babies over time. Bottom Line Breast milk or formula is the mainstay of a baby's diet in the first year of life. Babies who are older than six months need to be exposed to foods from different food groups. Read Motivating Kids to Study, Do Homework, Get Good Grades: Know Secret Ways However, as the digestive systems of babies under one year are still developing, parents need to consult a pediatrician to get a list of safe foods for babies. So far, we have discussed 12 types of foods to avoid giving infants, babies, and young children. Hope it helps!

Parenthood is based upon responsibilities which can scare many would-be and new parents. Watching the latest Netflix original documentary series ‘Babies’ this worry may lessen up to some point. Released on 21st February 2020, the innovative documentary series ‘Babies’ focuses on the small to big milestones of babies in their first year. This documentary presents a mind-blowing combination of the experience of new parents, attitudes of newborn babies and experiments of scientists. Here goes a review on this Netflix documentary series ‘Babies’.