UNICEF Applauds National Stamp Designs for Child Rights...

The Department of Posts, in association with UNICEF on the occasion of Children's Day in India (Nov 14) announced the winners of the 2019 Stamp Design Competition, whilst also commemorating thirty years of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC). The top two winning entries have been adapted as stamps.

More than 14,000 children from across India participated with stamp designs in the annual competition run by the Department of Posts, this year in partnership with the Ministry of Communication, the Government of India and UNICEF. The theme for this year’s competition was child rights.

The Convention on the Rights of the Child was adopted by the United Nations on 20 November 1989, and is the most widely ratified human rights treaty in history. India ratified the CRC in 1992, committing to protect and promote all rights of children. In partnership with Government, civil society, communities and children across India, UNICEF is celebrating the thirtieth anniversary of the CRC and 70 years in India working for the rights of every child. 

Speaking on this year’s stamp design competition, a senior official from the Department of Posts said, 

“Every year, the Department of Posts holds a Stamp Design Competition on Children’s Day inviting drawings, paintings and sketches from children on a particular theme. The theme of this year’s Children’s Day Stamp Design Competition was ‘Child Rights’.” 

On the partnership with UNICEF, the Department official continued, 

“The partnership with UNICEF this year has served twin objectives: on one hand, it is generating awareness about philately and on the other hand, it is creating awareness about child rights. Children have sent us excellent art work on what the CRC means for them. Today, children clearly identify new challenges facing them as well as available opportunities. Young people are speaking out for their right to education, demanding an end to discrimination, calling for end to violence, striking for action on the climate crisis, campaigning for digital reform and calling on leaders to protect their future.”

The winning entries – three winners and five consolation prices – will be awarded at a national event in New Delhi on 20 November 2019, World Children’s Day. While the top two designs on child rights are adapted as stamps, the remaining are used for preparing various philatelic items including first day cover, brochure etc. The 1st prize winner will win a cash prize of INR 50,000. The 2nd and 3rd prize winners will receive INR 25,000 and INR 10,000 respectively. The five consolation prizes are worth INR 5,000 each. 

Congratulating the winners and all children who participated, Foroogh Foyouzat, Deputy Representative for UNICEF in India said, 

“Indian children have brought the Convention on the Rights of the Child to life with their inspiring and beautiful stamp designs. Every child who participated is a winner in our shared responsibility to work tirelessly so that every child in India realizes all of his or her rights. In their entries, we can see girls and boys dreams for themselves and for all children. At a time when children and childhood itself are faced with new challenges in a rapidly changing world, these powerful images by children are a great reminder that we must all do more to put child rights at the heart of India now and for all future generations.” 

The following children have been declared as Winners:

First prize winner              :     Ms. Nidhi Rahul Mhatre (15), Boisar, Maharashtra

Second prize winner          :     Ms. Vibhushi Agarwal (12), Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh

Third prize winner            :      Ms. Deepali Midha (17), Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh

Consolation prize winners:      (i) Master Rupam Mahanty (10), Jamshedpur, Jharkhand

                                                 (ii) Ms. Vaidehi Vikas Shirsath (17), Bengaluru, Karnataka

                                                 (iii) Ms. Arya Thapa (14), Tadong, Sikkim

                                                 (iv) Master Sarvesh Suresh Joshi (07), Parbhani, Maharashtra

                                                 (v) Ms. Kratika Chittoriya (14), Nagra, Rajasthan

Zip-lining At The Grand Venice...

The Grand Venice Mall is India’s first Venetian theme based mall located in Delhi-NCR, that brings to life a perfect blend of magic, mystery, romance with the architecture of Venice, launched a first-of-its-kind Zipline ride inside a mall and North India’s largest Trampoline Adventure Park this week. 

Apart from the fact that the mall houses a Venice-style water canal right in the middle of its premises where visitors can enjoy a Gondola ride, and the gondolier gives you a nice chitchat about the beautifully built sculptures and installations around like the Leaning Tower of Pisa, Belltower, and other artworks, The Grand Venice has opened doors to people of all ages with the most entertaining, adventurous, and exciting activities. Loaded with recreational attractions, the Trampoline Park presents an unmatched range of games and the Zipline Ride offers a superlative experience for the adventure junkies. 

The highlight of 'Mastiii Zone' is the zip line ride - essentially ziplining provides a unique experience during which you fly down a series of ultra-strong steel cables, attached by a harness and pulley. At Grand Venice, there will be two types of Zipline rides - Zipline & Flying Fox. 

The total length of the ride is 250 meters and it will take three minutes to complete a ride. This is fixed at the height of 80 ft inside the mall and a maximum of five people can take the ride at the same time. The ride is certified for safety and has a three-line safety measure. 

The Trampoline Adventure Park spread in an area of 40,000.sqft. has also been unveiled in the same breath. In this Park, there is more than just Trampolines. Visitors can de-stress with Basketball, Jumping The Pit, bowling and speed running, suitable for people of all age groups. 

Talking about the launch Mr. Satinder Singh Bhasin, Founder, The Grand Venice Mall said, 

“We are thrilled to unveil Zipline Rides and Trampoline Adventure Park in our mall. It has something on offer for everybody! From toddlers to grandparents, we have entertainment options in Trampoline Park that span generations and bring people together. Trampoline Park is an international concept. People in the USA go to these parks to bust their stress. 

The colossal increase in the number of people visiting us has encouraged us to do better and better. We constantly try to provide wholesome family entertainment apart from best of shopping experience to all our customers. Will all these features, today, Grand Venice is not just a Mall but a tourist destination for all age groups. You have activities, fun games, adventure games and rides, 7D projection, House of Dead and multiple activities for one and all. 

We are making sure that consumers get the best experience with ease. Expect a never-ending series of horizon-broadening experience for your entertainment only at the mall along with shopping & food. We want to give our customers the World class experience in our Mall. 

I remember the first time I saw Zip Line Rides in Las Vegas and I thought we should have such adventurous rides In India and now we have it here in our Mall. Not only that, for birthday parties, anniversary parties, school trips, corporate parties and kitty parties, The Grand Venice Mall has the best offers and packages for complete entertainment of one and all.” 

On the whole, The Grand Venice Mall is surely a wholesome recreation hotspot for Noida folks, more so given the launch of these fun rides now. 

Transitioning From Silence to Sound...

"Blindness separates people from things; deafness separates people from people" 

~ Helen Keller 

Truer words have never been expressed in relation to the vital sense of hearing that we have been endowed with. Our sense of hearing is critical to our perception of communication with the world around us. Such is its indispensability that if impaired, it can affect an individual's functional, social and emotional, as well as economic standing as perceived by the individual themselves, as well as by the society. 

Hearing loss is defined as being partially or completely unable to hear (perceive sound) in one or both ears, the possible causes of which may include the following: 

• Infections 
• Birth Defects 
• Aging 
• Head or Ear Injuries 
• Ototoxic Reactions to Drugs 
• Exposure to Excessive Noise 

 ~~~ 

What if you could only imagine the sounds of life? 

That's the reality for 360 million people around the globe with disabling hearing loss. 

328 million adults and 32 million children have come face to face with this harsh reality of their lives. 

• In addition to these horrifying numbers, 1.1 billion young people (aged between 12 - 35 years) are at risk of hearing loss due to exposure to noise in recreational settings coupled with unsafe listening practices  

• Interventions to prevent, identify and address hearing loss are cost-effective and can bring great benefit to individuals 

• 50% of hearing loss is preventable through public actions such as immunization, healthy ear and hearing care habits, and effective treatment for both acute and chronic ear conditions 

• People with hearing loss benefit from early identification; use of hearing aids, cochlear implants, and other assistive devices; captioning and sign language; and other forms of educational and social support 

Especially for the 32 million children battling this impairment causing them to distance themselves from the world around them, it is imperative that we sensitize ourselves to their care including timely detection and addressing the impairment's root cause and treatment failing which the following consequences may negatively affect the child's personality. 

• Delayed language development 
• Academic underachievement 
• Social isolation 
• Higher risk of injuries 
• Degraded standard of living 

In order to take a constructive step towards addressing the criticality of this issue, the following strategies need to be enforced gradually but on a fast-track basis. 

• Strengthen maternal and child healthcare programmes, including immunization and organizations of people with hearing loss 

• Train healthcare professionals in hearing care 

• Regulate and monitor use of ototoxic medicines and environmental noise 

• Implement infant and school-based hearing screening 

• Making accessible hearing devices and communication therapies  

• Raise awareness to promote hearing care and reduce stigma 

It was a privilege to be acquainted with the cause of working for individuals putting up with hearing impairment in the form of a crusader's campaign #SoundsOfCricket launched by the global market-leader in implantable hearing solutions, Cochlear, in collaboration with their Global Hearing Ambassador and charismatic Australian Cricketer Brett Lee. 

With their motto of Hear Now, And Always, Cochlear has been leading the way with their three decades of research in this field of healing. It was indeed an insightful session with experts Dr. Minakshi Wadhera who has been practising speech therapy for quite a while now and made known to us the ABCs of hearing impairment and why it is imperative for us as parents to intervene early enough to sense if our children are faring well in listening to and understanding the environment around them in their growing years, and Dr. Someshwar Singh who led us to explore the neuro-plasticity of the brain that goes by the motto 'Use It or Lose It' in its formative years.

The various treatment options available to aid individuals suffering from hearing impairment were put forward, the functioning of the human ear and a cochlear implant's minute details were discussed during the course of the session.

The various remedies available to counter hearing impairment include: 

• Hearing Aids, that are best for mild to severe loss and consist of an externally worn hearing aid that captures sound through the microphone and amplifies it into the hearing aid channel  

• Cochlear Implant Systems, that are best suited for moderate to profound loss, and essentially bypass the damaged cochlea and create electronic signals which the brain interprets as sound  

• Bone Conduction Implant Systems, that are best for children born with impaired middle or outer ear or no ear canal, sending vibrations through the bone bypassing the damaged outer and middle ear 

The key takeaways from the informative session with both the medical experts could be stated concisely as follows. 

• Every recipient of a Cochlear implant receives different benefits, based on the duration of time that they’ve been through hearing impairment before the implant, the extent of hearing impairment and the overall well-being of their inner ear, and overall medical history. Their response to the therapy they receive after the implant also plays a vital role 

• Parents must be participative enough after the implant is done since this period is crucial for the child to get accustomed to hearing, especially since they’re unfamiliar with the sounds they perceive. For us as adults who have been hearing well since birth, it is impossible to imagine how children with hearing impairment would distinguish with hearing and not being able to hear anything at the first instance 

• A Cochlear Implant System stimulates the cochlea's hair cells, bypassing the damaged area of the ear canal 

• Can children who have cochlear implants swim? Of course. They just have to wear a cover on the implant to protect the processor. In fact, there’s nothing that someone with the implant cannot do. In addition, the AQUA+ for Kanso^TM also testifies the fact that it would be waterproof thus allowing a recipient to enjoy themselves fully sans any fear of damaging their equipment 

• Surgery for grafting the implant happens under general anesthesia and is an hour-long procedure. As is customary, the recipient is kept under observation for a couple of days before being discharged. Then, the implant is switched on only after a month or so after the recipient gets used to having it. This is followed by therapy to accustom the recipient to sound and speech 

The newest off-the-ear cochlear implant from Cochlear is Kanso^TM, which is discreet and compact, and has been designed in a range of colors to suit the style of a recipient and be camouflaged entirely in the hair on the head. It is equipped with SmartSound iQ with SCAN, dual microphones and sports a robust design.

At the event in Delhi, Kanso^TM was unveiled by Brett Lee in presence of Dr. Minakshi, Dr. Singh and a recipient of a Cochlear implant, Smriti, who shared with us her experience and interacted with us as any other person would. She came across as a cheerful, confident lady who's enthusiastic about her day-to-day activities in college.

As for Brett, he shared how he was devastated when a head injury sustained in an accident left his then five-year-old son Preston with hearing impairment in the right ear. 

Much to Brett's relief, Preston's hearing returned naturally over a year later. The incident left a deep impression on Brett with an urge to obtain a deeper understanding of the issues faced by those suffering from hearing loss as well as their families. 

"It was indeed a horrible phase. This personal tragedy shook me and  I decided to do a lot of reading and research on children growing up with hearing loss and how they adapt to society", said Brett, who is now closely associated with and feels strongly for those unable to perceive #SoundsOfCricket.

"Every kid wants to hear, every kid deserves to hear, and every kid should hear. I want to make sure, that everyone has the opportunity to experience what I hear, whether that's the sounds of everyday life, the sounds of loved ones, or the sounds of cricket.", says Binga, who set the field on fire with his pace and bowling skills. 

Believing In Magic, With #ColgateMagicalStories...

Children are bundles of curiosity. Add to that, creativity, and you'll have an unbeatable combination. Kids always have stories to tell, and an intrinsic curiosity and creativity fuels the budding storyteller in them. More often than not, they come up with imaginative accounts of the most unimaginative scenarios, incomprehensible to us as adults. What I most like about kids when they turn storytellers is that all such stories have the twinkle of innocence in them. Such stories are accounts of mischief, albeit with a message. It is always a joy to enjoy and appreciate a story coming from a child, as opposed to narration from a childish storybook, isn't it? 
It was no different when my six-year-old niece came home a couple of weeks back, on a long weekend. After an hour of her arrival, the doorbell rang for a second time, that day. Being her chirpy self, she ran to the door, prompting me to receive whatever had been brought forth by the person delivering couriers. 

The package was from Colgate and it aimed at inviting #ColgateMagicalStories. The moment she saw the word Colgate, she excitedly proclaimed that it was a gift from her toothpaste brand because she had been wreathing in pain from an aching milk tooth, the previous day at my cousin's place. She liked to believe that it was a surprise for her, to soothe her pain and proclaim the Tooth Fairy's arrival. 

Indeed, the entire package was coming her way, and ensured for her, a fun evening with art 'n' craft and stories. I cut open all the packs for her (that was 'Parental Guidance' for her) and her excitement grew gradually. The next moment she was jumping in joy on seeing all the cute sea animals drawn on the four different packs and it piqued her curiosity to derive meaning out of the titles of the packs, namely Coral Reef, Treasure Hunt, Sea Magic, and Pirate Ship. 
So, here goes the #ColgateMagicalStories she created, that evening. Enjoy it as I did.  She recognized Blackbeard's ship that was analogical to the huge cruise she had been on, last month, on her vacation.  

She read and analysed that Sadie was an adventurous soul helping Blackbeard discover a hidden treasure. 
One of her school friends has a pet parrot and she began squawking on seeing one drawn on the pack too. She also had a story to tell on how that pet of her friend's had learnt to mimic her. 
She established a connect as to how the comical parrot could guide Blackbeard through rough waters by alerting him against approaching enemies. 
Upon seeing the mermaid, she was awestruck as to how we could assume half-human - half-fish form. Nonetheless, I thought I'll have to tell her about Disney's Mermaid some other day. 
She made the mermaid live in the sea castle with her best friend, Dolphin by her side, also making her own the treasure chest Blackbeard was looking for. Blackbeard successfully reached the treasure by following the Treasure Map that he had charted, with help of his sea friends, Shark and Crab. 
Killer Whale and String Ray blocked his way to the castle to protect the mermaid and her treasure. In the ensuing tussle, the ship hits a big rock and is transformed into wreckage in no time. 

Meanwhile, two of his other friends, Star Fish and Puffer Fish help Blackbeard steal the Treasure from the Mermaid. Having nowhere else to go, Blackbeard returned to the wreckage with Sadie and his Parrot waiting for him. While he narrates to Sadie, the episode that ensued at the Castle, their Treasure is taken custody of, by an Octopus. 

The Octopus is successful in scaring the Puffer Fish, that defends itself by filling water in its stomach and called out to the Sword Fish passing by. It helped Puffer by lifting it on its sword-shaped bill, placing her on the huge Sea Turtle's shell and together, they all disappeared into the deep sea. But, the Star Fish faced the Octopus bravely, as it could regrow its limbs. 
While the Octopus was busy keeping Star Fish at bay, Blackbeard and Sadie returned to land, with their cherished treasure. 
I ended up asking my niece about Sea Horse's role and this is what she had to say. She told me that the male sea horse was carrying eggs in its pouch so it was resting in the coral reef. 

Meanwhile, a clever Lion Fish, with its needle-like spines aimed to harm Sea Horse. In the nick of time, however, Barracuda made a quick move and surprised the Lion Fish thus distracting it and foiling its intention to harm. All the animals that had helped Blackbeard, his parrot and Sadie, also returned to the Reef by evening. 
 ~~~ 
Everyone clapped for her as the story ended on this note and she felt elated. Kudos to Colgate for encouraging the imaginative souls that our kids are! :)

 ~~~ 

Catching Up On Lost Growth

We live a life of monotony, accompanied by a heap of aspirations, that concern not only ourselves, but to our near and dear ones - be it family members, friends, or even colleagues. More often than not, these hopes and desires tend to weigh us down, rather than uplift us.

One such aspiration is that of a parent towards their child and it concerns his/her physical as well as psychological well-being. It is always the matter of worrisome preoccupation for mothers especially, if something or the other isn't all hunky dory with the child.

It is always considered as a certain abnormality owing to the hard-wired, prevalent societal norms in our country, if a child is unable to keep up with the acceptable growth regimen physically. Often, instead of probing the reason leading to this inability and working towards it to let the child catch up on whatever has been lost, we tend to play the blame game as to who is to be held at fault.

There may be numerous reasons as to why a child lags behind as per the growth chart and it is of utmost importance to pinpoint what is lacking in his/her lifestyle, leading to such inadequacy.

Apart from the impression that they are unable to keep up with their peers, such children also inculcate a diminishing sense of self-esteem and self-confidence, thus scarring their personality. This, in turn gives rise to unprecedented anxiety among parents.

As the masses, much of our understanding and appreciation towards a child's sound development on the bodily front comes from whatever medical research is performed and brought to the fore through either print media or television or the all-pervasive guiding light, that is the internet.

Given the sedentary lifestyle that we lead today, our kids have turned into picky eaters who are techno-freaks and couch potatoes. As children, this makes their bodies a host of eating disorders, thus leading to undernourishment. It comes as no surprise then, that as a result, they grow susceptible to a host of diseases in the long run too.

The need of the hour is a decision to adopt a nourishing lifestyle that scores on the diet as well as exercise. A portioned meal and balanced diet, that comprises of the right amount of proteins, vitamins, carbohydrates, fats, minerals and fibre is what is ideal for a child in his/her developing years.

A good amount of physical activity outdoors also contributes to the positive impact towards scaling up the growth chart.

As a blogger, I was fortunate enough to attend such a day-long session organized by GSK and Horlicks India a couple of months back where I had been sensitized to the fact that it is as crucial for children to catch up on growth, as it is for parents and it is through this session that Horlicks had unveiled their latest product, Horlicks Growth+ that is clinically proven to promote growth among children aged 3-9 within six months of use.

Be it a child's development on the physical or psychological front, it is the onus of the parents and to an extent, and the child themselves too, that they should adopt a healthier lifestyle, be it in terms of nutrition or exercise, as a decision that is consciously adhered to. In the case of some shortcoming on the genetic or hormonal front, say, something that is attributed to a child's family history, such products as Horlicks Growth+ can come in handy and provide the desired result.

 ~~~ 

P.S.: All images been attributed to the Author and carry a copyright of the Blog. 

#FairStart for Every Child to Curb Persisting Inequities

What? 
#FairStart For Children

When?
Wednesday, May 25

Where?
UNICEF HQ, New Delhi

#FairStart for every child to curb persisting inequities is a great initiative taken by UNICEF India. The 'Fair Start' film unveiled by the organization as part of a social and social media campaign has drawn the main attention to a chronic disease of our society which is about inequities being faced by a large section of children in our country impacting their survival, development and growth severely. 

Children from various backgrounds participated in this impactful film that gives an insight into the lives of children who have tremendous potential but get fewer opportunities to grow up healthy and safe due to their environmental and societal issues. They have very less chances to attend school and to gain formal learning. They have higher chances of getting married as children.

Caroline Den Dulk, Chief Advocacy & Communication, UNICEF India stated that every child must get a fair chance in his/her life and deserves adequate nutrition, safety, protection, education, health care, and emotional growth. This campaign is focused on these purposes and it aims to draw attention to the lives of many children across the country who are deprived of these fundamental rights, often at times concluded simply based on where they are born. Every child in this country, and on this earth must get a fair and equal amount of opportunities  in life, irrespective of their ethnicity, gender, caste, region, or religion. Girls in India deserve an equal chance in life too, but on an average 2.22 million girls marry early every year in India, and 23% girls between 15-19 years of age experience physical or sexual violence.

The 'Fair Start' film has been produced with the participation of  group of children from various segments of life who brought their own real life stories to the film set. These kids played cast and crew themselves with the help of professionals in film, arts, and acting. The crew included Sahil, Cameraman who learned the art and tricks of shooting from some known professional. Sahil is just fourteen and wants to be a successful cricketer in his life. He studies in an English Medium School and helps his uncle in laundry work. He has his mother and a sister at home.  His father passed away 3 years back.

We also met Suraj, 10, Art Director, and Belinda, 13, Costume Designer.  Suraj has three sisters and two brothers. His mother is having a hard time selling corn. He prefers to help his mother at her work as and when he is able to. His father is an alcoholic and fights at home. Suraj has an ambition of becoming a scientist when he grows up. 

Belinda goes to a municipal school. Her brother Shawn is Cameraman/Director of this film. She works at home after school hours. She aspires to becomes an accounts executive when she grows up. Shawn, 15, has six siblings. His father left home many years back and mother is not keeping well for quite sometime. That made him to mature up fast and take the responsibility of his family. He decided to work and earn money for his home. He cleans gutters to make his earnings. He aspires to go to school as he is not able to due to his circumstances. He loves playing football. He is very helpful and caring by nature whereas his sister Belinda is shy in nature. 

The message of #FairStart is quite clear. Everyone has to share the responsibility in sharing the message, spreading it across communities and social media, doing whatever possible in this regard, and participate in the activity. It is not going to bring results in a short span as it involves a change in mindset and acceptability. Giving a chance to these kids brought out wonderful results from them at such a young age. The same holds true for all other children who are craving for a fair chance in life. 

Delhi Caught Up On IndiMeets With #CatchUpOnGrowth!

#CatchUpOnGrowth – the Dream of every Mom to a child up to 12 years of age but few are not able to fulfill this dream of theirs and hence have to console their child that it is okay, so that the child doesn't develop inferiority complex. Every mother tries to provide all the nutrients like proteins, vitamins and minerals to her child by providing milk, egg, green vegetables, fruits etc. but faces lot of hurdles as children are quite choosy about many veggies like Gourd, Sponge Gourd, Ladyfinger, Tinda, Bitter Gourd etc. 

But not anymore as on 15^th May, 2016 an IndiMeet with a difference was organized at The Lalit, New Delhi. This time a product launch was done exclusively for a group of bloggers only. 

Anoop started with his usual number game for first timers to acclimatize them to the customary fun activities for us bloggers. First timers gave their introduction and spoke about their blogs. In the number game, Anoop asked bloggers to choose any number between 0 to 10 based on which he announces prizes, each time. Dr. Mandira and her husband Dr. Manoj won 500 and 200 bucks. Mr. Rahul got two roses which he gifted to his friend who had come from Bangalore for the Meet. Ms. Chichi who was a first-time attendee was asked whether she loved Apple or not. She replied in the affirmative and Anoop gave her one apple to eat amidst jolly cheers! Numbers chosen by various bloggers were 2, 8, 1, 6 5, 7, 9, and 10. Anoop had missed out on numbers 3 and 4 by mistake.  

This fun activity was followed by a Panel Discussion which was moderated by Ms. Natasha Badhwar who is a renowned entrepreneur, media professional, and blogger. She herself is mother to three children. Hence she could correlate to the topic with ease and had her own anecdotes to share too. 

The Panelists were:- 

1. Dr. Rajeev Chhabra – He is the HoD of Pediatrics at Artemis Hospital. He has been practicing since 17 years during which he worked at Max Hospital, Seth GS Medical College, St. Mary's Hospital and Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Institute & Research Center. He completed his MBBS from Rajasthan University, and MD from Mumbai University. He has also done a post-graduate program in Pediatrics Nutrition from Boston University, USA. 

2. Ms. Satinder Kaur Walia – She did Masters in Psychology with specialization in School Psychology from University of Central Oklahoma, USA. She has a decade of experience of working with differently abled individuals at a global level. She is also running her own 'Learning at Potential' center for educational and psychological assessment of individuals. 

3. Dr. Jyoti Arora – She has more than fifteen years of experience of working with Fortis, Artemis, Max, and Paras Hospitals. She is presently Head Dietician at Batra Hospital. She regularly conducts training sessions. She is also involved in many research projects related to nutrition. 

Dr. Rajeev talked about the importance of balanced and proportionate growth in children with respect to the right height and weight at a given age during their growth period. He also threw light on various symptoms one can spot if one’s child is lacking behind on growth curve and prevent its detrimental impact on their self-confidence. He also talked about the anxiety faced by the parents when their child shows depression signs after facing humiliation among his peers. Parents are in a fix having diarrhea of thoughts but constipation of words while dealing with it.

One important point highlighted by Dr. Rajeev was about obsession of Indian parents with Milk which is nothing but 90% water. He suggested the parents that if the child doesn't like Milk there is no need to force feed him with it. Rather more Milk at times leads to more Calcium deposition in body which in turn leads to Anemia as Calcium leaches out Iron from the body. This can further lead to slow IQ development of child.

Ms. Natasha rightly pointed out that few mothers are over-concerned about their child's diet all day long. They want to keep on feeding them throughout the day even if the child throws up what he eats. Although their intentions are good but the process is not. Overfeeding can also lead to obesity which is a silently growing epidemic throughout the world. Actually parents should tune themselves to the natural rhythm of child's body and act accordingly.

Dr. Jyoti gave her own example that although she was a nutritionist but she gave birth to twin daughters who were born preterm weighing 1 and 1.4 Kg and were in nursery for as long as 33 days. Although doctors and other family members advised her to keep them in nursery for some more time but she preferred to take them home as mother's touch has its own importance. 

I totally agree with her on this point as mine was a similar case where my daughter was also premature and weak but the love and care and proper balanced nutritive diet later on helped her in gaining her strength. Ms. Walia stressed upon the fact that the family should focus on adopting child-centric parenting instead of following Tom, Dick and Harry's Internet based advice. She also said that at times more than children, parents need counseling so that they can follow their instincts and pay attention to a child's needs accordingly.

An emphasis was also laid on the importance of the bygone ritual of eating at least one meal of the day with the whole family sitting together. This way the child at times doesn’t refuse to eat something nutritious which everyone else is eating even if he doesn't like it.

Ms. Walia gave one example that whenever she takes her son for any birthday party, to avoid the junk food there, she makes him eat some nutritious stuff beforehand. I think a bit differently in this regard.

Being a psychologist she should rather address the parents present in the party to not keep the junk food on the menu and rather have some nutritious alternatives. As Dr. Jyoti pointed out, there can be various options like: 

• Instead of regular Maida Burger, one can go for Wheat burger which provides good fibre.
• Burger patty can be made nutritious by using Cottage Cheese, Corn etc. which is delicious too.
• Whole Wheat Pasta/Atta Noodles can be mixed with Green Veggies like Broccoli, Spinach, Capsicum etc. to make them relishing as well as nutritious for the children.
• Instead of carbonated drinks like Cola, child should be encouraged to have salted or sweet Lemon Water or Fresh Fruit Juice.

Dr. Jyoti advised that the child's day must start with healthy proteinaceous food like Oats, Ragi, Corn, Eggs etc. Later on in the day a bit of junk food once in a while is not a taboo. Excess of junk food should be discouraged.

A child's growth in terms of height and weight also depends on their genetic and environmental factors apart from the nutrition given. Importance of exposure to sunlight to prevent Vitamin D deficiency which is quite prevalent now a days is must for child's bone development and strengthening. At least 40 minutes of sunlight 5 days a week with least clothes is necessary as our skin manufactures Vitamin D. But one should avoid the time slot of 11-4 PM when UV rays are harshest and can lead to more harm than benefit.

Children are lacking outdoor physical activity now-a-days as they are more into social networking/mobile games etc. These lifestyle changes play a negative role in achieving proper growth in terms of height and weight. The lack of activity to burn calories leads to obesity. 

The Panel Discussion was followed by Q&A session where bloggers cleared their doubts with the panelists: 

• A mother expressed her grievance - “My child is fussy and blackmails me by sulking and not eating any food when he doesn't get the junk food he demands.” What shall I do? Dr. Jyoti answered and others also agreed that everyone including adults resort to such tactics but we should not disrespect food and one can always do positive bargaining with the child to eat nutritious food in lieu of going to say a water park/mall/cineplex etc.
• A father asked - “Is there any need of a dietary supplement apart from the nutritious balanced diet for a child?” Dr. Rajeev answered in the negative.

After this, Mr. Amaan Khan who is the Marketing Lead for Horlicks for the Indian sub-continent, GSK Consumer Healthcare addressed the bloggers and declared that the solution to all the discussed problems found in pre-pubertal children (boys aged 3-9 years and girls aged 3-8 years) regarding lacking height and weight are resolved by the age old famous company GSK by providing advanced nutrition for growth and development in the form of a health food drink called Horlicks Growth+. 

Then, he unveiled the product packs amidst loud cheers and music. Within minutes, the hotel staff was ready to serve the sample to all for tasting. The product is presently available in two of children's favorite Vanilla and Chocolate flavors. After tasting, one of the bloggers asked if we adults can drink it too daily without any harm as it tastes like melted vanilla ice cream. He was advised that once in a while it is okay but you should not forget that it is not your routine evening drink but an exclusive product made for short and lean pre-pubertal children. 

HorlicksGrowth+ is available in a large pack of 400 grams costing Rs. 585 and a small 200 grams pack is costing Rs. 315.

Dr. Aditya Kaushik, Head Medical Affairs for Indian Subcontinent, GSK Consumer Healthcare said that the company claims for clinically proven visible growth in six months among children of 3-9 years as according to pediatricians this is the critical growth phase for children. Growth lost during early childhood requires specialized nutrition. Horlicks Growth+ provides good quality Protein with key amino acids and fats, Calcium, Vitamin C, Iron, Zinc, Phosphorous, Vitamin A etc. which helps in naturally enhancing height and weight to optimize growth without obesity. 

High quality protein used in the product is specially formulated which is easily digestible and is absorbed fast. But he also emphasized that this is a specialized product and hence parents must take the advice of the pediatrician before starting using this product for their child. 

The RDA i.e. Recommended Daily Allowance of Horlicks Growth+ is 48 grams, 2-3 times a day with Milk or Water as prescribed by the Paediatrician.

He explained that the product is for any short and lean child who is less than 10^th percentile (as per CDC Growth Chart) on weight or height e.g. a 3-year old boy with height less than 90 cm and weight less than 12.5 kg.

This product is not a replacement but only companion to a nutritious balanced diet.

Mr. Jaideep asked about the study conducted before manufacturing this product for which Dr. Kaushik described that it was conducted among 200 healthy, short and lean pre-pubertal children of age group 3-9 years with height and weight less than 10^th percentile. It was a random study which was Placebo controlled that is 100 children were given this formula and 100 were given a placebo which was a low protein formula with no added vitamins and minerals over a period of 6 months. By the end of 6 months in comparison to the children in the Placebo group, the children who consumed the nutritional formula had gained more height and weight without any changes in their BMI i.e. growth without any obesogenic effect.

The research and design for the study was initiated in 2011. Clinical trials were over by 2013 and the result came in 2014.

Mr. Amaan Khan replied to a question that presently Horlicks Growth+ will be available in Delhi NCR, South India, West Bengal, Mumbai, Pune and then they plan to expand its reach to other regions too. Online retailers shall also be involved.

During a short tea break, the company took some video snippets taking viewpoints of various parent bloggers present there into consideration. Yours Truly was one of them.  

After the break, the Meet received its final touches in the form of a video making competition among 8 teams of roughly 10 bloggers each who got various props from the Horlicks team in the form of Horlicks Growth+ packs, fruit baskets, measuring tapes, lab coat, etc. which they were to use to make an interesting and relevant video promotion of 30 seconds and upload it on Twitter. We all enjoyed a lot making these videos. 

The day ended as usual with a group photograph of all the bloggers going hurr-hurr in fun and returning with a pack of Horlicks Growth+ too. 

P.S.: All images carrying the date '15.05.2016' have been attributed to the Author and carry a copyright of the Blog. Images without such a time stamp have been taken from IndiBlogger's FB Page. 

Recounting The Journey, This Mother's Day...

~~~ 

Since the last one week, my heartbeat was playing havoc. Pacing, given the thrill of the burning question - 'Would I hear those three words, those for which I had longed?' 

No, not those three - ' I love you'; those had been cherished a couple of months back. This time, it was more than those. Have you got it? 

Yes! The three golden words this time around were 'You are Pregnant'. 

The statement which can lead any married woman's life into a topsy-turvy situation. 

This burning question led me to the Gynae in no time. My fingers were crossed the entire time, to hear from her, a reply in the affirmative. And, she didn't disappoint me. With a broad smile on her face, she declared, 'Yeah, now you ought to visit me every three weeks for the next nine months, after which I'd be happy to hand over to you, your bundle of joy.' 

For that moment, I experienced a multitude of emotions, which cannot find expression in words, but foremost was the feeling of Gratitude to the Almighty for bestowing upon me, the bliss and cherished privilege of nurturing a new life within me. 

In the next moment however, a tsunami of doubts, questions raged inside me. This being my first pregnancy, I had no idea how to deal with it. Of course, I wanted the best for my baby. But, ensuring that my baby grew well in me seemed like a maze, which was difficult to navigate by oneself. 

The doctor could very well gauge the mixed reaction on my face. She held my hand and assured me - 'Everything will be fine. Just be yourself, be happy, don't strain your body and mind unnecessarily. Eat healthy and follow my instructions as far as mild exercise and the intake of vitamin pills are concerned. It will all be fine!' 

Yes, I will! I was determined to endure through the best and worst for my baby and myself too. I knew it for a fact that unless the Mother is hale and hearty, she can't expect the same for her baby. 

I reached home and broke the good news to all the family members and the journey to wellness began. Being a working woman, I had to now cope with my pregnancy, job and household chores, all in one go. The family members took care of the house and I kept myself stress free on the work front. 

Days passed by leading me to embrace the bodily changes. Some unpleasant, many more pleasant. 

Needless to say, I too had to deal with nausea or morning sickness. For me, however, the sickness was not only limited to the morning time, but lasted almost all day long. It happens, my doctor told me. One should not worry as this phase too passes away. Eating healthy could help - it did help me - in this regard. 

During her second trimester, every expectant mother is bothered about stretch marks, which are an aesthetic celebration in my opinion, bundled with pregnancy. I was mindful of their appearance and used to lightly massage the area believing that this exercise would lighten the scars. 

In the third trimester came the 'baby bump' as it is addressed, nowadays. One should not be conscious of the visibility of the tummy but dressing gracefully helps. After all, you are and should be proud of and not ashamed of being pregnant. 

As the time of delivery grew near, the amazing realization of being a mother grew on me too. Along with me, my husband and both sets of family members were waiting impatiently for 'D-Day'. 

When that day came, my water broke, the labor pains consumed me and my screams were growing louder by the minute. At the same time, I was thinking of the abundance of joy that was to be bestowed upon me, in a couple of hours. This thought helped me in coping with the pain. 

God gave me the courage to bear, and believe me, he gives this strength to all. All of this experience was encapsulated forever in that one moment when I finally became a Mother. 

Yes, that is what pregnancy can do to you. To all the expectant mothers out there, it's about putting all those apprehensions to rest, shedding all inhibitions about being pregnant, about what-how-when of managing yourself and your baby during those nine months, about giving birth by bearing lots of pain. 

Yes, of course. All of this is an experience of a lifetime but the moment you take your newborn in your arms, the moment she or he first glances at you, you become unmindful of the entire universe as from that very moment, your child becomes your entire universe. :)

It has been two decades to the time when I embraced motherhood, yet recalling this account brings along with it, a feel-good-factor which leads me to celebrate motherhood with each moment of life! 

 ~~~ 

I’m writing about my wonderful journey of pregnancy for the #YummyMummy blogging activity at BlogAdda in association with Marico Bio Oil.

Pamper Them From Within...

Tiny tots are true bundles of joy. They are the ones who light up our world, and the entire notion of not letting the child within oneself die is rephrased for life, after one embraces parenthood.

Quite naturally, the first emotion which a newborn evokes is that of protectiveness. Given that such skin is at the paramount of gentleness, fragility and delicate being at first touch, one can't help but admire and at the same time, be taken aback by the painstaking amount of caution that would go into realizing that such skin would be Supple, Subtle, Yet Susceptible.

Being a first-time mother back in the 90s, I too learnt the ropes gradually. It wasn't an easy task at first, but the patience has been worth it. After all, if motherhood had to be easy, it wouldn't begin with labor! :)

I've now come to realize that apart from some physical commodities and noticeable measures to shield a newborn's or toddler's skin, there's a lot which could work wonders from behind the scenes. However, these valuable insights often go unnoticed or are neglected more often as an oversight.

These five values could very well imbibe the essence of being #SoftestForBabySkin too, for they would not only keep the baby's skin soft but also aid them in the long run as an individual on the path of life. :)

 ~~~ 

Truth and Fairness: To lead life in a clear manner, there needs to be a substantial amount of truth and fairness around. It creates a cloud of positivism around. These positive vibes in turn simulate a certain cheer in and around the whole family to establish harmony amongst each other. The same is definitely going to impact a baby empathetically and will help in keeping their soft skin healthy.

Family Values and Bonding: The inculcation of family values, must be dealt with, on a priority basis. It is not only about enhancing the learnings of the baby who needs love and care but also about being upheld at home in a universal manner.
Some things in life are not to be announced or told as and when they happen; some emotions reflect everywhere. That is applicable in this case when the values and bonding are something which reflect in your actions, talks, behavior, words, looks, body language and almost everything you do. It is difficult to hide from oneself, let alone others, and it is more difficult to disguise.
You must not act irresponsibly with such a crucial matter as familial bonding as your baby's soft heart, body, skin and mind are definitely going to be impacted by, and derive a lot of energy from it to stay healthy.

Respect: Respect has to be maintained in voice and words - for others and for oneself too. What you speak and how you speak is very important. Both are significant because if you speak well but fail in selecting good words at the very instance they need to be said, it would be of no use. Similarly if you are brimming with great ideas and words at one instance in time but are not able to express them in front of others, it would weigh down on manifesting your opinionated self.
Harshness in the vocable would lead to your child adopting 'like-for-like' attitude as a child's mind and mannerisms parallel moulding clay. They would then pick up such harshness as they would believe that it is a way of life. Gentleness in spoken word however, would go into making your child gracefully express themselves, in accordance with the need of the situation always.

Space: Everyone needs space in life. You need to be generous in providing space to one another in the family. With toddlers, it is the first and foremost prerequisite because if absent, it would lead to irritability which would take on a toll on your child's health. You wouldn't want that to be the case, would you?

Wisdom: Let wisdom speak in your personal and professional life spheres. Wisdom gained from the many experiences you have had, as a mature adult is a treasure that needs to be preserved. Never let your wisdom go away. It is a keepsake which needs to be passed on, in the form of anecdotes to the young children in the family to enable them to face any situation in life with poise.

 ~~~ 

Pampers brings you the softest ever Pampers Premium Care Pants. Its cotton-like softness is #SoftestForBabySkin and allows it to breathe, thus keeping baby’s skin soft and healthy, and your baby happy.