OCR BABIES.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1984, 14 February 1914, Page 11

OCR BABIES.

TBt Hiom.l Published under the auspices of tho Sooietjr for tho Health of Women and Children. "It.ii witar to put up a fenoo at ths top of a .prooiplce ■ than to. maintain an ambulance at the bottom;" 4 CRIES OF BABY. . (Continued.) - Last week wo detailed a few of the different cries of the baby. This week we continue tho subject. . of injury to skin—e.g., pricking with pin, or-burning with hot bottle. The cry is usually sharp, piercing, and sustained; but there may •bo no loud warning, in the case of a feeble infant who is .being slowly burned.. Pain of Stomach-acho.—This is the popular term for all abdominal pains. Tho pain generally comes in waves or spasms, leading to recurrent outbursts of crying or screaming; • Slight indigestion may cause anything from mere restless • moaning to lusty crying. Severe colic, causes repeated paroxysms of screaming, turning of thumbs inside-tho closed fingers, thrusting of fists into' mouth, and agonised puckering of forehead; also, board-like hardness of belly, and kicking or drawing up of thighs against abdomen. Such attacks if neglected are very liable to lead to convulsions.

The following extract from "Feeding and Care of ttaby" describes how an attack of colic should be treated; but a doctor should be consulted if possible:— ' "An actual attack of. colic may be relieved by applying warmth to the feet' and abdomen; massaging the abdomen with the fingers dipped, in warm oil;' patting and squeezing, the middle and lower part of the back with some force with tho palm, of .the one hand, while the other hand apd arm keep the body upright, with the abdomen gently pressing against: the mother's chest (relief is sometimes better effected by placing the baby face downwards across the knees and patting the back); giving two or three drops of sal volatile in a teaspoonful of cold water, a. little peppermint water, or a tablespoonful of hot water with a piece of baking soda about the. size of a large pea, and some milk sugar for sweetening. If convulsions aro threatened, the baby should be put in a warm pack, or kept in a warm bath for. some time, and then removed' to warm flannel wrappings." i "An enema affords one of -the best means of treating a, severe attack of colic. Not only is tho pain relieved, but for'tho time being the cause is removed, by the evacuation of wind and irritating, material. However, enemas should not be used habitually." Babies are specially liable to suffer pain from intensely painful abdominal disturbances, due in the great majority of cases to.fermentation and. irritation occurring in the . bowels rather than in the stomach itself, : though tho term commonly applied in all cases.' Most baby pains- are bowelpains.

Pain of Earache.—This is often mistaken for colic, sometimes with fatal results. . Tho tormenting pain of earache causes moro or less continuous, prolonged attacks 'of crying or screaming,, accompanied by rolling the head about; or boring one sido of tho head into the pillow,- or pressing it against' the mother, or tugging 'tho ear, or placing the hand against it. Sonio relief may Ijo afforded by dropping warm oil into the'ear and by the external application of a heated bag of salt or burn;'

but earache may lead to such gravo results that a doctor should bo called' in at once. Pain and tenderness of tlie bony prominence behind the car, when tapped with tho finger, is a specially dangerous sign. Nearly all cases of serious earache are accompanied by fever, which is often severe, the temperature rising as high as 104 degrees or 100 degrees. But though both fever and pain should happen to he absent, _ tho mother should never fail to call in a doctor if baby forms tlie habit of rolling his lead from side_ to side'on the pillow, because the habit is usually, duo to irritation of the -intorn.il ear, which may lead to grave results if nqt promptly attended to. Frequent banging or beating of the head may bo due to the same cause or to the irritation of teething, etc. All such troubles are specially liable to ariso when a child has been "out of sorts," or after fever or sore throat, and they often occur in rickets. Never, disregard or neglect to notice the formation of any "curious habit" by a baby. If ill. any ddubt'get a doctor without delay. , Beware of the- dangers to' the 'brain and to hearing, arising from failure to do' the' right thing promptly in any case of ear trouble. 'There should never bo any doubt or delay as to securing tho best advice where there is- pain or discharge from the If this rule were always observed,' the lives of many children would bo saved every year, and deafness would.be much less common. Tendencies to' inflammation and :absccss of .the brain following on ear trouble' may bo' arrested provided only the surgeon is Summoned in due time. Unfortunately ha. often arrives too late, tho parents, having put off for days where they ought not. to have wasted an'hour. Syringing Ears.—Much harm is done' by' Byringing. Don't attempt it unless you have been ordered to do so, .and shown how. Tho society strongly disapproves of the.use of artificial foods as a substitute for mother's or humanised milk. Full directions for the preparation of tho latter is contained in the society's published pamphlet entitled "What Baby Needs."