OUR BABIES

Dominion, Volume 23, Issue 75, 21 December 1929, Page 22

OUR BABIES

(By Hygeia.) Published under the auspices of the Royal New Zealand Society for the Health of Women and Children (Plunket Society). “It is wiser to put up a fence at the top of a precipice than to maintain an ambulance at the bottom. DIGESTIVE UPSETS IN THE SECOND YEAR. . Digestive disturbances of all kinds are commonest during the summer months especially in artitically fed babies and in tofldling children. It is about these we specially wish to speak this week—sounding a note of warning. Already a number of children have come under our notice sniftering from mild digestive trouble —a little diarrhoea, loss of appetite, perhaps slight feverishness, and so on. Quite a number of these children are “on the move, whose parents are passing through or staying away from home. There is always a tendency for children to become upset when travelling—except the fortuante breast-fed baby, whose fresh food supply goes with him. Children thrive best on a regular routine, and this is bound to be disturbed when awav from home —food is different, hours are‘different, the milk may not be above suspicion, and so on. So perhaps these few hints as to prevention of trouble, and how to nip an incipient upset in the bud, as it were, may not come amiss before hot weather and holidays really “set in.” Prevention First. Spare no efforts to keep to regular meal times. Specially avoid sweets, biscuits, and cake’s at odd times. Use no milk without scalding and cooling It first. If the weather is hot or close and muggy, rescald what is left in the evening and cool it down quickly. Use no water which has not been boiled. Use no strange utensils which have not been scoured and well scalded. Beware of unripe or overripe fruit, or even decidely more fruit than usual. It is possible to have too much of a

good thing. Do not introduce a number of unacustomed foods into the child’s diet all

at. once. See that sieving and straining are not discontinued too suddenly. Do not press a child to eat if it. seems disinclined for the usual food, or off colour, but give plenty of water to drink. During very hot weather the vitality tends to be lowered, and the child may not be able to deal with a full ordinary diet. Lack of appetite is Nature’s warning. Signs of Digestive Disturbance. Restlessness at night is often one of the first signs that all is not quite right. Drowsiness in the daytime is another sign. Slight feverishness ’may go with these.

Disinclination for food, with or without thirst.

Relaxed motions, more frequent than usual, perhaps somewhat .offensive. Some sickness, perhaps' slight, or the child may suddenly vomit, seemingly, a whole meal.

It is a very great mistake, and often a dangerous mistake, to attribute any or all of these symptoms, or any other signs of illness, to teething.

Many and many a baby has been, seriously ill, and many have died of diarrhoea or pneumonia, because the parents let things drift —satisfied that there was nothing much wrong—that the child was “only teething.” Although there may be slight feverishness and some digestive disturbance coincident with the cutting of teeth, this is not to be considered as the actual cause of the condition, or as an excuse for letting it run on unchecked.

It is never safe to allow mild diarrhoea to persist.

One often comes across cases where toddlers have drifted into a miserable condition because a “little” diarrhoea has been allowed to persist. One finds the weight has been stationary or even going down for weeks, the little legs and arms are as flabby as can be, if not actually thin, and the child is generally grizzly h

and “peaky.” Such an attack too often marks the first departure from beautiful normal babyhood, and full tone and perfect condition are too often never again attained. What to Do. At the first sign of restlessness, drowsiness, feverishness, disinclination for food or frequent motions—obey Nature's warning : Give less food and more water—all boiled. Dilute the usual milk mixture with extra water. It is usually best to discontinue solid foods; at any rate, all but, say, barley jelly. It is better to err on this side than the other, and 24 hours of light diet at this stage may save days of semi-star-vation later. But though you should never force food, you must force drinks If necessary. Fluid—mostly water, rice water, barley water, or well-diluted orange drinks if there is no severe diarrhoea—fluid in abundance is absolutely necessary to help the body get rid of the waste products which are causing the symptoms. If the motions are frequent, decidedly relaxed, or otherwise abnormal, whether or not there is also some vomiting—do not delay: stop all food and give a dose of castor oil (two medium teaspoonfuls is the average dose in the second year). Follow this by about 12 hours on boiled water or rice water only.

Seek skilled advice if possible. If the diarrhoea persists or gets worse in spite of this treatment, get a doctor’s advice without delay. If all goes well, work back on to diluted boiled milk, barley jelly, other cereals, and so to full diet.

And then observe all the suggested precautionary measures.

Miss Phoebe Myers, 8.A., of Wellington, who was a substitute delegate for New Zealand at the League of Nations meetings in Geneva in September, writing to a friend in Wellington, says: “The American League of Nations’ Union, which is very anxious for America to join the League, is preparing an article for-propaganda work there, and is getting ■ the women delegates to give their views. They are very anxious to be the first over there with the views of the women. I am preparing for publication a series of articles on the League and its work. I see by the London papers that the new High Commissioner . has been appointed. I should think he will be a live wire. The position is no sinecure, and each year increases the difficulties, and importance of the manifold duties connected with it. The League of Nations business, with all its ramifications, means several visits to Geneva each year, for New Zealand is connected in many ways with the League. Sir James Parr has done remarkably well, and has made a good impression abroad as well ns with the British authorities and public. Visiting New Zealanders are not always easy to satisfy, but I am sure the officials do all they possibly can to help socially and otherwise people from New Zealand who are on a visit to Europe.” Miss Myers mentions that Misses Butler were in Switzerland for a few weeks, but had left again for Paris, where Peggy would take up her art work again. SYDAL IN YOUR CAR. A jar of Sydal in your car when touring is very valuable. It is useful in so many skin emergencies that you should certainly carry it always. The jar is strong and cannot break. The contents cannot spill out, and the merest trifle is required. Dilute with milk for sunburn.—Advt.

Economical conditions demand that housewives do their own washing. Who cares, anyhow? Since NO RUBBING LAUNDRY HELP costs a Is. per packet. Wardell’s Ltd.—Advt.