Sensible Bathing

Manawatu Times, Volume 62, Issue 16, 20 January 1937, Page 14 (Supplement)

Sensible Bathing

What To Do With Children

(By a Masseuse.)

ALTHOUGH bathing and swimming are now

generally popular, many mothers are still terrified of letting their children bathe. They picture them getting out of their depth, catching colds, swallowing pints of water and a hundred and one other horrors. The uneasiness amongst parents is increased by the influence of the recent infantile paralysis outbreak in New Zealand, and subsequent warnings and advice. I have often heard children cautioned by their mothers not to go into the water above their knees. The result is that, under a blazing sun, more often than not liatless, they put their feet and legs into cold water. Sun-stroke, fever, colds and other ailments follow, but still mothers insist that no harm can come from paddling, whereas bathing is “dangerous.” One little patient who comes to my clinic in a seaside town begged her mother, encouraged by me, to let her bathe “just once.” The plea was refused—the mother wasn’t going to take risks after the child’s long illness. The girl had to be taken to see a specialist a few weeks later. He charged his usual fee, but his advice was simply “carry on as you are, but if you can afford to get the child to the sea for a fortnight so that she can bathe every day, do so”! Cold Fright.

There is no more distressing sight than father, himself a strong swimmer, pulling a poor, unwilling, fearful little son into the waves with unmerciful splashings. If children do not feel the desire to bathe, do not force them. It is cruel and, because nothing chills so much as fright, it usually means that no healthy reaction takes place when the child leaves the sea and a severe cold develops in consequence. No harm can come to children when bathing if normal care is taken. The first bathe of the season should not—however warm the day, and the water—last for more than ten minutes. One bathe a day for the first week is a good rule. After that, if the water is warm, as many as three can be taken, so long as two hours elapse between a meal and the bathe.

When the child comes out make him remove his bathing suit at once. Do not allow, him to “hang about” until he is shivering. So many children do this. They also dress very slowly, standing still and not attempting to get up warmth by exercise.

Rub the bather down. Put the towel over your hand, like a glove, and rub thoroughly until the body is pink and glowing. A good reaction should be the result in normal children. If a child turns very pale, trembles and shivers, his body is not strong enough to bear the shock of cold water and the effort of trying to swim. In this case it is best to postpone bathing until almost the end of the holiday, when, if the rest and the change of air have done their work, a good reaction will be obtained and bathing will be quite safe and beneficial. Safe Sun-Bathing.

Sun-bathing is excellent, but never allow a child to come straight from the sea and lie under the fierce rays in his wet bathing suit. Apart from almost certain chill, the effect of heat on the salt water is similar to that of brine on meat —the child’s skin will be pickled! Large areas will blister, and, instead of the healthy ultra-violet rays being able to penetrate the body, the child will have to be kept covered, bandaged, and, in severe cases, sent to bed.

After a bathe change into a sun-bathing garment or a dry bathing suit. Rub a little oil on the exposed parts, if the sun is too fierce, but if the full benefits of ultra-violet rays are desired, leave the skin untouched as the slightest film of oil, it has been proved, deflects the rays. Ten minutes of sun-bathing is enough for the first day, gradually increasing as the holiday proceeds. Bathing under proper supervision is beneficial to health in every way. Bathing as it is often carried out by the uninformed sends thousands of patients into medical surgeries every years.