THE HEALTH OF CHILDREN.

Auckland Star, Volume LI, Issue 248, 16 October 1920, Page 20

THE HEALTH OF CHILDREN.

. WHAT TO DRINK. Tho latest contribution by the Education Department on the subject of maintaining and improving the health of children deals with beverages. For children, says the writer, tea shotild be prohibited. Up to the age of ten years children should not be allowed to drink it. It, stimulates the nervous system. The reverse is required with children under present conditions of life. Children are more sensitive to stimulation and excitement than adults. Again, tea is detrimental to the digestive system iti children, and upsets the regular action of important organs. Thirdly, tea interferes with the cleansing action of the saliva and so contributes to dental decay. Especially is this so when taken with cake and biscuit and white bread, and not followed by a cleansing food, such as apple. The evil effects aro more pronounced when the tea has been allowed to infuse for too long a time. It may be asked what may be given to children as a drink in place of tea. Water, milk and water, and cocoa are quite suitable. It should be borne in mind, however, that too much milk may ■-ause digestive trouble and loss of appetite. For a healthy child on a well-bal-anced diet more than one pint of milk a day should not be given, and less may suffice. Even if considered only from the point of view of its habit-producing effect in after years, tea drinking should bo prohibited till as late an ago as possible. Tlie morning and afternoon tea and cake habit is not only in the vast majority of cases whoUV unnecessary and wasteful, but is decidedly harmful. >To healtny individual can claim to require nourishment as often as five or six times a day.