OUR BABIES

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 438, 21 August 1928, Page 4

OUR BABIES

By Hygeia. Published under - the Royai New Zealand Sp,ce * of the Health of Wom£ (Pjunket Society>. Children “It is wiser to put un ■ Ja?n t tn°ambT CiPiCO th,n »° ta '" ambulsn<: e ‘he bottom -

PROTECTING the BABY FROM disease in winter 111 the issue of the magazine “Life and Health,- from which we quoted last week, we find a reprint from on American health magazine referring to the question of protecting babv from disease in winter. In this the folfowing excellent remarks are madeSummer . . . used to be the hardest time for babies, but mothers hare now learned so much about the care and feeding of their infants that the intestinal disturbances of hot weather have practically gone out of style. Winter now presents the greater dan ger. To prevent winter colds, increase the baby’s resistance. Keep the house well ventilated, and take the baby out in the fresh air and sunlight as much as the weather permits. Give him a mid-day sleep. (And long, unbroken rest at night.) Dress him according to the temperature, not according to the season. Give him a cool sponge bath and a vigorous rub every morning. Keep him away from everyone who has a cold or other respiratory infection. If baby catches a cold give him a good warm bath to open the pores of the skin. Cool down the bath with cold water before taking him out. to close the pores, and keep him warm or in bed. ... A warm bath should be given daily during the cold, bnt the warm water should be cooled down at the conclusion of the bath. . . . Then rub the body over with warm olive oil. The baby should, of course, be kept warm and out of draughts. Memo.—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 in ridding the body of impurities to realise that it is doubly necessary to keep the skin active and cleansed during a time when poisons of a cold are circulating in the body. While the temperature is actually raised above normal, it may be as well to sponge the child all over in bed or on the lap in front of the fire instead of actually bathing: but unless this procedure can be carried out quickly and deftly there is really more risk of exposure and chilling than there is from a quick full bath given in a easy, warm corner of the room. In any case, the child should be tucked up in a previously warmed bed directly after bath or sponge. To the very compact little summary quoted above we may perhaps add the following suggestions as to the proper treatment of the baby who has a cold: The Importance of Fluids Do not press food if the child is disinclined for it. Dilute the milk mixture with a few ounces of extra water if there are signs of slight digestive upset. Do press fluids—warmed boiled water or diluted fruit juice. This is a most important point, and one which is often neglected, because the child is very apt to refuse drinks, probably because the throat is sore. If this is the case every possible means of inducing the child to drink must be resorted to. If coaxing and wiles fail strong measures may be necessary tor the child’s own good. Never mind if the small patient does a partial starve i for a few days, so long as you get him to take fluids. He will probably be better without solid food, but the : body is much hampered in its fight against the hostile germs if it is not supplied with plenty of water. Keep the bowels regularly and well opened. Keep the nostrils clear. Raise the head and shoulders a little higher than usual in the cot if breatn- : ing seems easier this way. During convalescence be specially careful to guard the crawling and i toddling baby from chilling. K “ well to keep the crawling baby off the ' the floor for a few days. Remember that fresh air and sunshine are the best germ-killers kno ' Don’t keep children with colds up in stuffy rooms. Let them - outside so long as they are kept warn and protected from cold winds, they must be indoors, see that room is well ventilated. The Danger of Complications Do not let a cold go without getting medical advice. cially if there is a chesty cough or anv difficulty in breathing, child remains feverish or d ™!U’ bl(> if there are any signs of ear tro» send for a doctor without de’ayforget that a cold “may be to a camp fire in dry weather-sli?^ changes may produce disastrou suits ” Many serious illnesses, * Perhaps fatal cases of bronchitis, developing out J" ted if mon” colds, could be P placed taken in time, the c l hlldb fn the early under proper medical care in stages of tbe trouble. CARD PARTY The Devonport ‘ln Navy League held t eaill g. the Navy League HaU The presiMusica.i items were S' i '‘ n t cre tary. dent. Mrs. Cleland. and Mrs. Melvin, wlth M ” e committee, other members of the prires superintended arra ”fs™ and bridg*were awarded for euchre ana