Frequent viral infections in young children do not necessarily indicate weak immunity. Paediatricians at the India Today HealthWealth Summit explain why 6-8 infections a year can be normal for children under five and when parents should worry.Children under 5 can get 6-8 viral fevers a year, say paediatriciansNew Delhi,Oct 30, 2026 16:08 ISTChildren below the age of five can experience six to eight viral infections in a year, and this does not necessarily mean they have weak immunity, leading paediatricians said at the India Today HealthWealth Summit, emphasising that parents need to understand childhood immunity, nutrition and developmental behaviour rather than panic over every illness.Speaking during a session on child health and parenting, Dr Ravi Malik, paediatrician and CMD of Malik Radix Healthcare, said children who start going to school are exposed to several viruses, making recurrent infections a natural part of growing up.“Every mother who comes to my clinic tells me that her child has weak immunity.
They ask us to increase their child’s immunity. But children below five who have started going to school can get viral infections six to eight times a year.
There are about 200 types of viruses that can give your child a fever,” Malik said.He explained that exposure to infections also helps children develop immunity naturally. However, parents must learn to distinguish between routine viral fevers and symptoms that require immediate medical attention. “If a fever is accompanied by diarrhoea, dehydration, difficulty in breathing or rashes, rush to a paediatrician,” he advised.
Malik also stressed the importance of vaccinations, hygiene, balanced nutrition and outdoor activities in supporting children’s health.POLLUTION CAN AFFECT CHILD'S IMMUNITYHighlighting the impact of environmental pollution on children, Dr Madhavi Bhardwaj, paediatrician and founder of Apna Ghar Ashram, said pollution can have consequences beyond respiratory health. “Pollution affects more than just the lungs. The microparticle you inhale can enter the bloodstream.
Pollution is one of the reasons why a child’s immunity can be affected,” she said. Bhardwaj advised parents to minimise children’s exposure to pollution, particularly during periods of poor air quality, and limit outdoor activities during peak pollution hours.She also recommended adequate hydration and including omega-3 fatty acids and other healthy fats in children’s diets.
Air purifiers and masks can also be considered as additional precautions, she said.Emphasising the importance of preventing infections during seasonal changes, she said parents should maintain distance from children when they are unwell.FIVE PARENTING MISTAKESMoving beyond physical health, Malik highlighted five common parenting mistakes that can affect children’s behaviour and development.The first, he said, was the absence of boundaries. Parents often allow children to decide what they eat, when they sleep, where they go and how long they spend watching screens.
Establishing consistent boundaries is important for discipline.The second mistake is unhealthy competition and comparing children with others. Parents must understand that every child develops differently.Third, parents often fail to recognise that children learn more by observing than by listening. “Children are very good imitators but not good listeners,” Malik said, stressing that parents must lead by example.He also highlighted the importance of maintaining trust between parents and children.
Keeping promises is equally important, as repeatedly breaking them can teach children that promises need not be honoured.Parents must also avoid shouting at or physically punishing children, he said.WHY SAYING NO ALWAYS IS NOT GOOD PARENTINGAddressing why some children appear stubborn or difficult to manage, Bhardwaj said parents must understand the developmental stages of childhood before labelling behaviour as disobedience.She explained that children around nine months of age begin exploring their surroundings but do not yet understand the consequences of their actions. “Every time you say ‘no, no, no’, it is not an ideal situation. If a child hears ‘no’ all the time, the word eventually loses its importance,” she said.She added that a parent’s frustration and behaviour can influence a child’s temperament, as children often imitate what they see at home.Similarly, temper tantrums between the ages of two and five are part of a child’s developmental journey and need to be understood in that context, she said.NO SCREEN TIME BEFORE AGE 2On the growing dependence on mobile phones and digital devices, Malik advised parents to follow screen-time recommendations for children.
He said children below two years should not be exposed to screens, while those between two and five years should have no more than one hour of supervised screen time.For children up to 16 years, he suggested limiting screen exposure to two hours, with parents monitoring the content being viewed. Malik pointed out that a large proportion of parents do not actively supervise what their children watch.He also advised families to establish clear rules, including no screens during meals, before bedtime or in designated screen-free spaces at home.Allowing children to watch mobile phones while eating can interfere with their eating habits and contribute to unhealthy patterns, he said.
Screen exposure before bedtime can also disrupt sleep. Bhardwaj cautioned parents against handing over phones simply to keep children occupied while they complete their own work.Malik also highlighted how parental screen habits influence children, referring to a US study that found an association between mothers’ screen use and their children’s screen exposure.FORCE-FEEDING AS A CHILD CAN LEAD TO OBESITY LATERBhardwaj warned against the tendency among parents to consider chubby children healthier or cuter, pointing out that childhood malnutrition is not limited to underweight children.“Malnourished children were earlier thought to be those who were very thin.
But now, a fat child can also be malnourished. Abundance is also malnutrition,” she said.
She said some parents introduce formula milk when it may not be necessary, while others begin force-feeding children after six months, believing that they need to gain more weight.According to her, parents often become anxious when a child’s appetite decreases, without recognising that appetite can naturally change as the child grows.“The body is trying to regulate the appetite. But parents are trying to fill up the stomach of their child.
This is where the seeds of obesity are sown,” she said. Bhardwaj stressed that children should be allowed to recognise their own hunger and fullness cues instead of being forced to finish every meal.WHAT SHOULD A CHILD'S IDEAL DIET LOOK LIKEThe paediatricians also discussed the importance of balanced nutrition during childhood, including cereals, pulses, dairy products, nuts, eggs and green vegetables.
Malik said dairy is an important part of a child’s diet after six months, including milk and other dairy products as appropriate for the child’s age.He cautioned against misinformation circulating on social media about children not needing milk after six months. Referring to WHO recommendations, he said 400-500 ml of milk after the age of one year is generally sufficient, while emphasising that milk should not become the child’s only source of nutrition.He also advised parents to consult their paediatricians about the appropriate quantity of milk for their children.Discussing traditional feeding practices, Malik cautioned against blindly following advice passed down through generations.
Practices such as giving honey to newborns or introducing salt and sugar too early may not align with current medical recommendations.“Science is evolving. Just because our grandparents followed certain practices does not mean we should continue doing the same,” he said.Malik also spoke about the growing use of artificial intelligence for health information, saying it could be useful for gathering information but must be used judiciously. “AI is wonderful as a servant, not as a master,” he said.Bhardwaj, meanwhile, said vegetarian foods can be introduced as part of complementary feeding, with non-vegetarian foods added gradually according to the child’s age and readiness.
She recommended transitioning children to the family’s regular diet after the age of one, with suitable modifications for their developmental needs.The paediatricians emphasised that healthy childhood development requires more than supplements or attempts to boost immunity. Consistent routines, balanced nutrition, vaccinations, physical activity, appropriate screen habits and a supportive parenting environment are all essential.- Ends