Q: My daughter is 4 years old and her weight is 20 kg. She is getting frequent cold and cough infections. The moment she puts on a little weight something or the other has to happen to her to fall sick. Please help.

A:Repeated attacks of cough and cold are quite normal for a child at this age group. This happens because at this stage children start going to school, meet more people and children and are therefore more exposed to infections. Thus, 3 to 4 episodes of upper respiratory infection per year are quite normal at this stage, each lasting usually around 4 to 5 days. That’s how children build up immunity. As she grows older, the episodes will reduce.

Her weight is quite all right for her age. All episodes of sickness are associated with poor appetite in children, the appetite recovers as the illness subsides. During the following period, the appetite actually increases to make up for the previous fall. This way the body compensates. Please don't worry, her weight and height gain will not be affected by these episodes.