Monsoon and Children—Friends or Foes?

August 12, 2026

Rains provide immense relief from the scorching heat of summer months, but at the same time, they bring along a basket of diseases. Obviously, children and the elderly are at greater risk as always. Let us see how we can stay healthy in monsoon season.

What Are The Diseases Of The Rainy Season?

We have a full platter of diseases occurring in the rainy season. The main sources of infection are

Damp air: Damp and humid air causes a rise in viral infections, especially flu-like illnesses, which spread easily from one person to another through air and fomites.
Unclean water: Waterborne diseases like diarrhoea and dysentery are common in the rainy season due to the unavailability of clean water.
Unclean food: Food and hand hygiene, if compromised, leads to serious illnesses like typhoid, paratyphoid, and food poisoning.
Mosquitoes: Of course, mosquito-borne illnesses are the dreaded ones—not to forget, dengue fever, chikungunya, Japanese encephalitis, etc.

How to Stay Healthy During This Time?

All children love the rainy season, but as a parent, it’s our responsibility to let them enjoy the rain safely.

Here are some simple tips to follow:

Maintain hand hygiene: Regular hand washing prevents a lot of diseases. Wash your hands before eating, after using the toilet, or if coming in contact with an infected person.
Food hygiene: Always keep your food in clean vessels and cover it. Avoid eating uncovered or improperly cooked food.
Water hygiene: use filtered water or boiled and cooled water for drinking.
Use masks and ear muffs while going outside, especially in the early morning and evening when temperatures start dipping down.
Use mosquito nets and repellents and fully covered clothes to avoid mosquito bites.
Close the doors and windows in the early morning and evenings when the mosquitoes are more active.
Avoid stagnation of water in pots, buckets, etc., which are breeding grounds for mosquitoes.
Vaccinate your child against common diseases—typhoid, flu, Japanese encephalitis, hepatitis A, and rotavirus.
Provide nutritious food to children; avoid heavy and spicy food items.