OUR BABIES

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 199, 11 May 1918, Page 5

OUR BABIES

fßr HTGEIA.I Published under the auspices ot the Royal New Zealand Socioly for the Health of Women ,and Children. "It is wiser to put up a fence at the top of a precipice than to maintain an ambulance at the bottom."

HARDENING A DELICATE CHILn. 'i'ho'following sample cubc, drawn from miuiy within my own personal cxporionco, illustrates the beiicuts of the "hardening iwrcss" systematically and judiciously eiirrijii oat during early childhood. My reasons for boMiing this particular case aro throefold-viz..— , 1. The child was extremely delicate when »!:e first came under our observation, over leu years ago. and was steadily dwindling and becoming feebler and feebler, in spito of tho foiit that tlio family were doing their bc.u and wcro quito unsparing in tlicir devotion. Tho child was really receiving too much, rather than too little, attention—but Ihe care waß of the wrong Kind. Z. The progress of tho case stands recorded in a soric3 of loiters covering the whole period, and thesn convey in simple, homoly terms the progress made from time to lima. 3. The relations are quite willing that the letters should be published, in spite of the fact that the details and circumetnnccß render identification possible. Indeed, when communicated with on the subject, the grandmother replied, with flue public spirit: "There is not the slightest objection to making tho case public; names can be mentioned if you think well. We ore only ton glad if we can in any way help the good work of tho society." THE GOSPEL OP HEALTH. If all mothers and grandmothers were equally broad and liberally-minded— equally willing to admit the mistakes of the past, and change their paint of view Willi the advnnro of human knowledge— tho task of the society In spreading its "gospel of health" would receive a wonderful Impetus. However, we have uu reason to complain of lack.of help from parents whose babies have been saved or benefited by-conforming to the essential noeds of child-life, ns practically taught In tho home by the Plunket nurses and laid down in the society's publications. Wherever parents who have been convinced by their own practical experience of the enormous benefit accruing to children from tho simple, systematic care rccommendrd )>y the society become helpful centres of light and leading for their district, they constitute in effect "branches" of tho society, 'i'licrc are ninny such unnamed branches scattered throughout the length and breadth of the Dominion, and we are only too glad t" acknowledge the great service they aro rendering to the cause we' have at Heart.

LETTERS OF A GItANnMOTTIEH. Before rtuotitipr the actual letters; T shall sa.r a few words by way of introduction. It is quite umiecesßiiry to Rlvn the name of the family or of the bacltblocli in which they ivero livinp. The tnwnnliin was in Southland—we will call it Krowhon.

TTIRTOHr OP THE OHIM. 'J Bo child was brought by the grandmother to the Karitanc- Hospital in January, 1 1908. She was then over two and a hair years jf age, but was pale, feeble, Hubby, ann spiritless. ' During the first two yc.i.s of lifo she,had made good headway, growing well, talking, walking, and getting abour. lu a normal way. Towards the end of the second year progress was less satUiaUory. Gradually the child ticniiuiß irritable, and capricious, lost her appetite, und manifested increasing lassitude and listlcssness. The parentß were advised that there was irritation of tho Btomach and bowels, and as month after month, went by with, steady aggravation of the symptoms, and falling off in every direction, they did nil they could •to tempt the child to take sufficient food to. keep up nutrition. Not only was tho appetite very poor, but she became more and more fastidious.

Do what they would, sufficient milk wan not taken, and simple, wholesome foods such as bread-and-butter, toaßt, or ;;lain biscuits were refused. There apD?,uvc! m on no alternative hut to further hajmur and "spoil" the child with sweet biscuits, sweet puddings, etc., which it took moro willingly than anything else. Under this regime there was a sad fallinu-off, but not. so much in weight as in strength and activity. Beimr no longer able to run or even walk, she was wheeled about in a go-cart, suitl when she wub stood up there was obvious knock-knee. There was no vomiting or diarrhoea—no evidence of definite disease of anv kind-nothinc calling for the UEe of druirs or strictly medical measures in any direction. Wliat the child needed was simply. "What Everv Child Needs. Whether Well or III" (see Dagos 1 and 2 of the society's book), and, for the verv rcaeon that it, was ailing, an oven stricter conformity than ordinary to these nrima'.y and inexorable .requirements of Nature was of vital importance.

WIT AT WAR WltONfi. The use of wrong food, undue frstjiioncv of feeding, the giving of pieties b.'iwsen meals, irregularity of habits, laik •:': amscular exercise, lack of stimulation of the skin (and consequent slackness r.:...i absence of tont throughout the wauls system)—these were nuite sufficient to account for the remarkable and progressiva fallingoff in condition which was causing sucli alarm and making the parents further "spoil" the 'child in the vain effort to keep it from further wasting and going downhill.

In such cases, in the absence of definite knowledge, Ihe more affectionate and devoted are the parents the more difficult it is for thon to bring themselves pruperly to regulate and discipline the course of a child's life (see "Forming a Character," page 149 of the society's book).

Once a wide departure from the proper daily routine has been made, owing perhaps, to some temorary indisposition or illness (such as we may assume to have upset the child in question), a return to normal habits needs great tact, patience, and firmness on the Dart of guardians. In the present instance, fortunately, all these requirements wore forthcoming ns soon as the relations had been brought to realise what was essential.