Digital-age parenting needs emotional connect: Expert

Patna: Delivering the ‘Dr Gopal Sharan Oration’ on the concluding day of Bihar Pedicon 2026, Dr Ruchira Maheshwari Gupta, national secretary general of Indian Academy of Pediatrics (IAP), outlined the historical shift in parenting, emphasising that while the language of parenting has changed across generations, familial love remains constant.She said grandparents raising children before the 1960s relied on authoritarian parenting focused on discipline. This model transitioned between the 1960s and 1980s to competitive, achievement-oriented parenting within emerging nuclear families. Today, parents navigate an uncertain world with emotional parenting, she added.She highlighted that despite digital connectivity, modern children face loneliness, urging parents to build resilience through active listening, eye contact, physical affection and the willingness to apologise. The goal, she said, is raising children who are disciplined yet heard, and high-achieving yet kind. She also advised paediatricians on how to guide contemporary parents through digital-age challenges.This focus on modern developmental challenges aligned with the clinical themes of the scientific sessions. Dr Alka Singh demonstrated that physical clinical examinations remain the irreplaceable bedrock of paediatric diagnosis. Addressing critical diagnostic distinctions, Dr Praveen Kumar from Delhi explained the necessity of differentiating fainting episodes from true epileptic seizures in children to prevent unnecessary lifelong medication. Dr Jayant Prakash from IGIMS discussed the integration of AI in hospital clinical rounds, while Dr Binod Kumar Singh and Dr Rajesh Kumar presented updated protocols for managing acute paediatric seizures.The academic session concluded with discussions on paediatric cardiology and neonatal respiratory distress. The conference also recognised emerging research, awarding oral paper presentation winners Dr Ayachi Priyadarshini, Dr Ravi Kumar and Dr Surabhi Kumari, alongside poster winners Dr Rishabh Kumar, Dr Shreya Saumya, Dr Priti Kumari, Dr Sharmistha Choudhary and Dr Mrinal Devpriya.The competitive sessions were evaluated by several senior doctors. The Bihar chapter of the IAP concluded the meet by acknowledging the organisational coordination of Dr Nigam P Narain, Dr A K Jaiswal, Dr Saroj Kumar and Dr Amit Kumar.