Lady Ridgeway Hospital's Consultant Paediatrician Dr.Deepal Perera yesterday highlighted the importance of saving the country’s children from malnutrition. He said that feeding them with commonly available foods such as cereals, including cowpea, green gram, eggs, sprats and various other green leaves could be the best remedy to get rid of from malnutrition.
Dr.Perera requested lactating mothers to provide their infants with breast milk during the first six months and thereafter to move in to light foods such as dhal, eggs, potatoes and green leaves.
He said after giving breast milk for six months the infants should be given inexpensive foods in the calibre of murunga leaves, pumpkins (Wattakka) and sweet potato (Bathala) since such light foods contain iron, vitamins and most needed nutritious protein.
Dr. Perera also requested parents to keep a close tab on their children to see whether they have the symptoms of malnutrition.
He said the malnutrition status of children could be easily identified if children show symptoms such as loss of appetite, stress, life-less, reluctant to be engaged in educational and sports activities and drowsiness.
Dr.Perera further requested liquor addicted fathers to refrain from smoking and using alcohol by spending large sums and utilize that money to buy nutritious food for their children.
According to reports even the UNICEF said nearly 60 per cent children in Sri Lanka are suffering from malnutrition.
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