CHILD TRAINING

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 565, 18 January 1929, Page 14

CHILD TRAINING

HELPING THE MENTALLYBACKWARD EARLY LIFE IMPORTANT (Contributed by the Department of Health.) One of the most striking features in the educational world to-day is the amount of attention bestowed upon the problem of mentally-baekward children. In the schools increasing efforts are being maae to adapt the instruction given to the mental capacity and needs of the individual pupil. In some cases it is only when school attendance begins that children are discovered to be mentally backward. A. few children are sooner or later recognised by their parents as being slower in mental development than others. They are slow in recognising sights and sounds; in sitting up, in crawling, and walking; they do not attempt the activities of a normal infant, but seem content to be in a state of lethargy. In some cases such children with careful training may “catch up” on their more rapidly blossoming brothers and sisters, hut often their lack of development persists, and their intelligence even in adult life remains much the same as that of a child. The stage to which these children can advance depends to some extent upon their early training. It is important that they should receive all possible education at school, but it is still more important that they should be given such home training as will fit them to become successful members of the community. For this purpose they must be taught not only to care for themselves and their own requirements, but also they must learn that the other people with whom they come in contact have certain rights which must receive consideration. The greater necessity for such training of these backward children is only equalled by the infinitely greater difficulty with which they are taught. Perseverance and patience on the part of the mother are necessary from the earliest years. Parents’ Influence To parents who are willing to expend the extra time and trouble, some suggestions may be of value. Firstly, make sure that all physical defects are treated. A child that is mentally “unfinished” is also more liable to suffer from physical disabilities, poor digestion, constipation, malnutrition which tend to accentuate the mental backwardness. Therefore constant attention must be given to matters of diet, sleep, fresh air, suitable clothing, regular habits, condition of the teeth, nose, and throat, etc. Knowing the milestones of a normal infant the mother should note whether her child seems definitely backward in these respects. if so, encourage him day after day in these activities. Give toys to feel and play with, colours to interest him, sounds and music to attract nis ear. Now, too, is the time to watch carefully for, and to immediately cheek, the formation of any bad habits, such as hanging the head against the cot, rocking backwards and forwards, making peculiar movements, or indulging in fits of screaming. A determined effort must he made from the very first to train the child in cleanly habits. If sufficient time and patience is expended, failure is unnecessary. As the child grows older, everything he is able to do for himself he must be encouraged in—dressing, doing up buttons and ties, washing, and brushing. Difficulty arises from the fact that these children are clumsy, forgetful, easily distracted, and infinitely slow in doing the smallest task. A mother finds it so much easier to “do the job herself,” and to sit him out of the way like a piece of furniture. When she does this, she deprives her child of most valuable training and education. Whatever he can do, he must do, hut do not let the task be too hard, so that failure, is inevitable. Judicious Encouragement

With perception of, and pride in, his duty toward himself it is necessary for the growing child to realise that there are others in the world whom it should be his desire and pleasure to help. If he can assist mother he will feel that he is adding his small contribution to the happiness of the home. Continuous occupation is needful. With the simple tasks that they have learned to do well, these children can be busy and occupied, happy to do over and over again work which a normal child would soon find uninteresting and irksome. Especially useful is work involving exercise and control of the hands, such as knitting, crochet, etc., which, though laboriously learned, prove a great source of occupation and pleasure.

The defective speech which so often accompanies mental backwardness may be. due to a variety of causes. Sometimes it is due to lack of muscular control of the tongue and lips. Encourage the child to use his. lips in blowing a toy trumpet or whistle. Poetry and the singing of simple tunes will often improve backwardness of speech.

Punishment will be found in most cases to be of little value. A child who is labouring at a task, simple but to him of the greatest difficulty, certainly will not find that a slap or a scolding increases his capabilities. Occasionally a sharp word of reproof or a rap on the hand may be useful, especially in the correction of an incipient bad habit—provided the child understands diiectly for what he is being punished. Above all, never discuss the child’s defects in his hearing. Once he feels that he is “different,” that he is expected to be slow, and that failure is a foregone conclusion, he is beaten before the start. Give him tasks that are not too easily performed, so that exertion is necessary; but not so hard as to discourage him the mother contributing patience, judicious encouragement, and praise for a task successfully completed. The difficulties, the bad traits, the lack of good habits, which in older years are almost hopeless to deal with successfully, arise, in the majority of cases, from lack of training in the early years. This unfortunately, usually occurs not from unkindness or neglect, but from misplaced parental solicitude, which strives to assist and protect the weak and handicapped one of the family, and instead deprives him of the essentials of his social training and hinders his adaptation to his future life.

.Jean Hersholt will be starred in “The Braggart.” following completion of “The Girl on the Barge,” now being directed for Universal by Edward Sloman.