OUR BABIES

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 126, 25 February 1928, Page 18

OUR BABIES

(By “Hygeia.") Published under the auspices of the Itoval New Zealand Society for the Health of Women and Children il’lunket Society). ”11 is wiser to put up a fence at the top of a precipice than to maintain an ambulance at the bottom." BED-WETTlNG.—(Continued.) If the habit cannot bo broken towards three years of age a doctor should certainly be consulted, if this has not already been done, and any physical abnormality should receive prompt treatment. Bed-wetting is sometimes associated with irritation from worms, and the removal of adenoids, if present, may be beneficial. Apart from matters requiring medical attention, much depends on the general health much on the nervous stability, and much on the environment and the suggestions surrounding the child. GENERAL HEALTH. In al! eases everything should be done to ensure a good standard of general health. There should he abundance of fresh air (sleeping out is 'dealt, and plenty of outdoor exorcise, alternating with sufficient rest and sleep. The diet should be simple, but not sloppy or starchy. Fresh vegetables amt fruits, brown bread and butter, and milk and eggs in moderation arc the main essentials. Very little it any meat, and no rich or stimulating foods should be given. Fluids, though restricted in the later part of the day, should be given in abundance in I lie morning. Swimming, or. failing facilities for that most excellent of all exercise, cool or cold bathing on rising is a splendid all-round tonic. NERVOUS STABILITY. The nervous, excitable child should be kept as quiet as possible, and helped to (ixerciee nervous control in all ways. All forms of stimulation should be avoided, including rough-and-tumble games or exciting stories at bed time. A FEW DETAILS. The child should not be coddled in heavy clothing, though chills and wet feet 'should be guarded against. The bed should be firm—not a soft kapoc mattress—and ilie bedclothes light and not over-warm. The child should be taught to sleep on the side. Some children never wet the bed unless they happen to sleep lying on the back. The child should he wakened to pass urine at 9 or 10 p.m.. and. it may be desirable to wake him again in the night for a time, in order to forestall the involuntary action, if it is known about what time it occurs. Sometimes this is just in the half-stage between sleeping and waking, and it may be wise to take the child up before he wakens himself m the morning. Needless to say every single child needs individual study for successful management. l SUGGESTION AND ASSOCIATION OF . IDEAS. Lastly, but. by no means least, in every case of persistent and inveterate bed-wet-ting, we would beg the mother to examine her own attitude of mind towards the matter —to know tier own habitual actions, thoughts, and sayings about it. We would beg her to realise that when she uses threats, punishments, or bribery without avail, when she worries and frets about it, and dreads the next night coming, she is stamping the child s mind with the idea that his action is expected and inevitable, besides giving him and his behaviour an altogether undue, importance in the scheme of things. THE MOST IMPORTANT THING. The most important thing to do—and perhaps the most difficult—is to ignore the whole matter as tar as possible, lire association of ideas connected with repetition of the habit must be broken, so that Hie child may feel, chiefly unconsciously, that, he is no longer.the centre of interest, and that no one is thinking or caring very much one way or tue Ot Many children in whom the habit has

persisted, to the despair of the parents, to spite of all ordinary treatment, are a bnitted to hospital for this or some other reason, and the habit automaticdisiiDPCtirs. flic explanation is simple enough. The child is P ae £Sj n }v entirely new surroundings; e is simni> one of the crowd and of no Particular importance. Apparently nobody expe-ts him to wet his bed. nnd nobody cares particularly if he does. Tne P?*®. 1 ? I*' 1 *' suggestion conveyed by the anxious mother who hovered over him is withdrawn; it no longer causes any sensation if he does wet his bed. and hence the seemingly inexplicable cu, ; e .-. . We do not want to send children to hospitals, but probably a comp ete change of environment offers the best chance of speedy improvement. it it ts possible to send the child where he will be one of several, so much the better. • A tactful explanation must ensure that no suggestion is made to him that his habit is even known. If an accident occurs no notice should be taken by those in authority, although the unpremeditated comments or derision ot other-' children might have a wholesome effect.' When the child returns home the subject should be ignored, and in the case t)f a relapse—which would be quite likelv to occur—a quiet reassurance that it would not happen again and was nothing to worry about should be all the comment made. We fully realise how difficult it may be to carry out some of these suggestions. It is infinitely easier to scold, coax, or punish a child than to discipline one’s own thoughts and effect <i change of mental attitude. But it is surely worth while. Finally, we would give a word of encouragehient. Barring actual mental orphysical abnormality-exceedingly rare comparatively—a cure can always be effected. Early training on .the right lines usually prevents the trouble, and wise, understanding handling hastens the cure.