OUR BABIES Colds, and Their Prevention

NZ Truth, Issue 1237, 15 August 1929, Page 20

OUR BABIES Colds, and Their Prevention

(Plunket Society Articles — No. 12) Summer used to be" the worst season for babies. B ( u't. mothers ; have now learnt so much about the proper feeding and care of infants, and are so thoroughly impressed with the need for special precautions m hot weather, that' serious trouble is very rare. . WINTER now presents the greater danger. Investigation into -the causes of ' death amongst bapiesunder Plunket supervision shows j bronchitis and pneumonia — causing winter deaths — to. be the most 'serious factor. , The trouble is that we accept the common cold as inevitable, and do not realise that it is the usual precursor of bronchitis 'and pneumonia, and such lowered resistance ; that the -baby readily falls a victim to even a mild infection. Just now, with colds, coughs, and influenza the order of the day, one notices specially the very striking difference m resistance between the hardy baby and the coddled child. Even now it is not too late to start preventive measures. The great thing is to increase the child's resistance. Keep the house well ventilated, and have the children out of doors as much as ever the weather permits. Make use of every odd half-hour of sunshine. Do not let the baby sleep m the kitchen. Dress the children according to" the temperature of the day, not the sea- 1 son. Constant overclothing is very weakening and. lowers the resistance. See that the children have long, unbroken sleep at night and a daytime sleep. If baby catches a cold, especially if he is feverish, remember the following simple suggestions: The child's main need is for fluid — warm boiled water or- diluted fruit juice. He needs less food and more water than usual. Consequently do not press him to take all his ordinary food if he is disinclined for- it. If there is any digestive upset, dilute the baby's milk mixture with a few ounces of extra water. Drinks of water or fruit juice should be given frequently between meal times. ' c A warm bath should be given daily during the cold, but the warm water should bo cooled down at the conclusion of the bath. Then rub the chest and trunk over with warm olive oil. The child should, of course, be kept warm and out of draughts. The idea of bathing the baby during a cold is perhaps a little unconventional, for one commonly finds that babies or small children have not been bathed for days during the course of a severe cold. . . One has only to think how important a part the skin plays m ridding the body of impurities to realise that it is doubly necessary to keep the skin active and cleansed during a time when noisons of a cold are circulating m the body, ■ ■ j