Some fasting Saudi parents are neglecting their non-fasting children during Ramadan, a Ministry of Health (MOH) official has said.
Young children are not required to fast and some parents were failing to adequately feed and supervise them in the morning, MOH supervisor general of media relations and health awareness Khalid Merghalani told Arab News.
“The Ministry of Health would like to advise parents to remember their children, who are not fasting during the holy month,” Merghalani said.
“This is because parents tend to stay awake throughout the night and sleep during the day after the suhoor meal. This has resulted in some parents neglecting their younger children, who wake up during normal morning hours, leaving them unattended.”
Merghalani said young children were not expected to fast because irregular meals could damage their health.
“Children are in need of vitamins and nutrients to allow them to grow properly and since it is not mandatory for them to fast until they are older, parents should ensure they eat healthy meals, even during Ramadan,” he said.
Parents should allow young children to sleep in the morning during Ramadan, have breakfast about noon and a light lunch mid-afternoon.
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