OUR BABIES.

Taihape Daily Times, 25 June 1918, Page 6

OUR BABIES.

A FAILING BABY. Afew weeks ago' we published some -articles dealing with the failure of many children to fulfil their early promise, and we gave an instance of how a delicate and failing child was Jbfought back to health and strength hy common-sense care and attention. We gave the history of the case, as described in a series of letters written by the child’s grandmother extending over 10 years. The following letters serve to emphasise the matter still further, and we trust they will prove helpful to many of our readers. A MOTHER’S LETTER. “Some time ago I wrote to you asTcing advice for my child, who was then four months old. By return mail I received a letter from you advising me how to proceed. I also got the book on “The Care and Feeding of the Baby,” and as far as I was able I followed the directions. “The child grew strong; and was .very lively until about nine months ago (she was thgn two years old), when I was obliged to send her away from home for a time. When she returned she had just recovered from the mumps, and was fat and flabby; a month afterwards she took influenza very badly, and she has never recovered her strength. • "On Christmas Day she had an attack of what I thought was ibronchitis. Ten days later she had another very ]bad attack. She cried and coughed all night, and was in a high fever, I Tubbed her chest and back with hot camphorated oil .and she litfed’ on boiled water for two days. She recovered on the fourth day, and was as full of life as ever, but.since she had the influenza I have had great difficulty in getting her to eat. - Two nights ago she had a similar attack, but was not So feverish. I saw a doctor, thinking Jhat she might be the better for a tonic; hut he said she needed no medicine. She is very susceptible to cold, and she feels the least change of wea; ther. When she. is well she is outside the whole day long, and takes a great deal of exercise, so much so that she exhausts herself by 2 o’clock, and has a sleep of two hours.

“Nine months ago she slept with a i young girl in a room with both door and window shut, and I date her weakness frm that time. I have lost two beautiful baby boys, so you may know | J.ow anxious I am about her. Trusting to hear from you soon, and thanking you in anticipatin.—l am, etc., “C . H COMMENT. The advice forwarded to the mother when she wrote in the first instance was on the broad lines which we recommend in all cases —namely, “What ©very baby needs, whether well or ill,” as given in the Society’s book, “Feeding and Care of Baby,’ ’pages 1 and 2. When answering the above sent a Copy of the account Which we published a few weeks ago, dealing with a child whose case presented similar points. The mother’s second letter shows that she profited by the information given. THE MOTHER’S SECOND LETTER. The following letter shows how soon a marked improvement took place in the child’s condition when systematic care was exercised on the lines advocated with regard to her food and habits: —

Your letter with the reprints of a grandmother’s letters enclosed reached me a fortnight ago. I did not write to you at once, because I wanted to see if there would he any valuable improvement in the health of my little girl. I give her only three meals a day, with a drink of boiled wifter the first thing in the morning and the last thing at night. She relishes her food now, and often asks for her dinner an hour before the time. I used to give her a cold bath every morning, but it ■was given up; now I’m giving her a cold sponge in the morning, but as ! soon aa §b§ gets a little stronger I I will commence-the bath §gain. She j lias improved wonderfully during the 1 last fortnight, and is getting like ner jOld self again, happy and joyous. ’'jMbout 18 months ago I put her to sleep in a room hy herself; ibut she was very restlessj an<j 1 had to cross % dfanghty passage sometimes three t>t four times during the night, 85 re- 1 inbred her bed to otlf room again, but iav© it in the opposite - corner from ours, and have the window and door open night and day. Please accept m y grateful thanks for your kindness. I can assure you I will follow closely the rules laid down in the Society’s "book, for I am very anxious to have my girlie strong and well again. I was giving hdr petroleum emulsion when t ■wrote to you, hut I have not given her a taste of it .since I received your'letter. Again thanking you for your kindness. COMMENT. 1 wish particularly to draw attention to the following sentences in the above letter: “i give her only throe meals a day,

' With drink ox belled water first thing in the morning and last thing at night. She relishes her food now.” Tne custom of giving a child a “piece” is so common that it seems an almost hopeless task to fight against it. Children are supposed to be always hungry if they are well. Few people seem to realise that we are all creatures of habit, and that the had habit of craving for food at irregular times can he as easily engendered as the good, healthful habit of taking a sufficiency of suitable food at proper intervals. Children so readily drop into the way of eating at odd times that one not infrequently comes across a child who never properly relishes anything. The kind of food which appeals most to such children is often of a class least suited to them, and therefore hound to bring -'about manifest harm, sooner or later. Though for a time neither the wrong nature of the food nor the irregularity with which it is taken may do any apparent harm, a child’s digestive and nutritive powers may he undermined and gravely impaired in a way which will cause more or less progressive 'damage to the system and stunting of growth for months and even for years. Parents should never forget that such leeway, made during what should he the most progressive and formative period of life for the growth and development of the whole organism, is never entirely made up and compensated for, however well and rationally the child may he treated subsequently. Such a child can never become quite what it might have been, though, as we have seen in the cases I have referred to, it is marvellous what can he done in the way of restoring health and strength to children if the matter is systematically taken in hand by earnest and devoted guardians.