Dr. Nitin M

My children (six and ten years) are glued to the computer tab until late in the night. How do I get them off screen devices and promote healthy sleep habits?
— Shifa Sood, Mumbai
Normalisation of screen media devices in the bedroom has resulted in children suffering sleep deficit. According to research studies, an estimated 30 percent of children below age 12 and 90 percent of adolescents get insufficient sleep because of increased screen/social media use. This paediatric sleep loss increases risk of childhood obesity, disrupts psychological well-being and impairs cognitive functioning. Here are some ways to encourage healthy sleep habits.
• Prohibit children from using electronic devices one hour before bedtime and until next morning.
• Replace evening screen time with non-digital activities such as reading, colouring, family conversations, etc.
• Move all screen devices including television, desktop computers, laptops/tablets, and smartphones out of children’s bedrooms.
• Ensure children don’t watch violent and/or scary video content.
• Establish a healthy deep sleep routine for the entire family.
• Set and observe regular bedtimes every day, including weekends.
• Bedtime should follow a predictable routine (e.g. brush teeth, read a story, lights out).
• Ensure your children’s bedroom is cool, dark, and quiet at bedtime.
• Restrict children from drinking caffeinated and aerated beverages that interfere with sleep.
• Include physical exercise into your children’s daily routine.
• Set an example by prioritising your own sleep and reduced screen time.
• Explain the importance of adequate sleep for optimal health to children.
• Monitor children’s screen time everyday. Set and enforce appropriate digital media and sleep rules.

Do foods influence children’s mental health and emotional well-being? Please advise.
— Mridula Shankar, Hyderabad
Data from adult populations indicates that high-quality diets result in better mental health outcomes. In fact, new meta-analysis has confirmed the inverse association between healthy diets and depression. A habitually poor diet (e.g., continuous consumption of processed foods) is associated with greater risk of depression and anxiety.
There are numerous biological pathways through which diet quality impacts mental health in children and adolescents. Intake of folate, zinc, and magnesium is inversely associated with depressive disorders, whereas omega-3 fatty acids-rich diets are inversely related to anxiety disorders. Nutrients such as folate, vitamin B6 and choline are necessary to synthesise neurotransmitters, which regulate mood and memory.

I’m worried about my five-year old son’s appetite. Should I give him vitamin supplements?
— Rema Nair, Chennai
Here are some ways to boost your son’s appetite:
• Serve small food portions at several set times of the day, ensuring two-three hour gaps between each meal.
• Provide milk, fresh juice, soup and/or water at the end of the meal, not before.
• Seat children at the dining table for meals and snacks — the table should be at the stomach level of children. If necessary, use highchairs.
• Don’t allow your son to watch television, mobile phone, etc during mealtimes.
• Encourage him to self-feed.
• Consult a paediatrician before giving him any vitamin and mineral supplements.
• Avoid administrating appetite stimulants. Also consider deworming.

(Dr. Nitin M. is a consultant neonatologist & paediatrician at Motherhood, Bangalore)