Food, activities, diseases and treatment sources: A study among parengi porja children below 5 years of age, munchingiputtu, Andhra Pradesh, India

The Parengi Porja is one of the particularly vulnerable tribal groups of India (PVTGs), who predominantly found in the hill slopes of Munchingiputtu Mandal, Andhra Pradesh, India. This tribe consider their children as their economic assets and give due care to children all the time. In this article, an attempt has been made to discuss the food, activities, diseases and treatment sought among the 105 Parengi Porja children below 5 years of age living in five study villages namely, Vanagumma, Talabirada, Pathaliputtu, Labbur and Jappar. The children were purposively selected and their mothers were interviewed to know the living conditions of the children.

The study is descriptive in nature. Both the qualitative and quantitative methodology were used to collect empirical data. Conventional anthropological methods like both participant and non-participant observations, interview schedule, and case studies had employed to collected empirical data.

Of the 105 children, 85 per cent above are exposed to diseases/illnesses and the rest of children are in suckling age i.e., below 6 months old children. From this, it can be inferred that children below 6 months of age are not exposed to infections. Whereas, the main reasons for diseases/illnesses occurrence are due to playing in sun, mosquito bites, drenching in rains, and non-drinking of boiled water. Overall it shows that a majority of children are exposed to cough & cold and malaria. The article also provides information on the help seeking and decision making process in treating children ailments.