OUR BABIES

Gisborne Times, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 12750, 4 January 1936, Page 10

OUR BABIES

(By “ITygeia.") Published under the auspices of the Ro;.al New Zealand Society for the Health of Women and Children (Plunkot Society). “It is wiser to put up a fence at the top of a precipice than to maintain an ambulance at the bottom." THREAD WORMS. The presence of these parasites is a source of great trouble and anxietv to many mothers of young children, and as we frequently get inquiries with regard to the treatment of this condition we hope that the following suggestions may be helpful. Small thread worms are very common, and they should be got rid of as soon ns possible, as they cailse intense itching and irritation, restlessness and disturbed sleep, and this fends to upset the whole'•System. Further, the itching and consequent ,scratching induced not infrequently leads to the formation of bad habits.

GENERAL TREATMENT

The broad general treatment for all ailing children is given on pages 1 and 2 of the Society’s book, “Feeding and Care of Baby.” and there is no case in which this applies more strongly than where a baby tends to be pale, is doing poorly, and is suspected of suffering from worms. Fresh air, sunlight, proper regular feeding, regulation of bowels, plenty qf exercise, dock-like regularity with regard to sleep and plenty of it—these, are the , main essentials. Too much cane sugar should not lie used in such cases. Further, if baby has reached an .age at- which starchy food is generally given, this element in the diet, should he kept in strict moderation. , '

SPECIAL TREATMENT

The following short, statement of the more'.jmportant points to. hear in mind about thread worms is summarised fypni two of the ablest- rocept British and European text books dealing with diseases of cjiiijtlren ir-r Thread worm? liv.e mainly in the lower parts of the bowel, where the female deposits her eggs.. The ’irritation dug to. the wriggling pf , -the worms, gives rise to, intense,.itching, which cause? the child,.to.scratch the part.nrpggd th.e lo\yer opening, of the bowe].,. Ilis fingers, and especially the .nails, thus , become infected, and carry, tjj.e eggs directly to the month or the npse, which .fie is very, likely to pick.,. If..the fingers and nails are not thoroughly jyjpll scrubbed with hot water and .soap and perfectly c}e(qnsed ..jinpijeiliatdy bpfjore pi,cal times, the food .naturally ..lje,comps contaminated, and,thus, directly or indirectly, the child daily rejnfepts himself with a frp?h,-supply of eggs, and intense irritation .and . itching takes place whenever a new colony, of wongs is hatched out an,d passes into the lower b0we1,... .. • , , . ...

It is essential that parents and nurses should cl.eaply understand that a mppe .clepping, opt of the worms is of little pr no, ayaij .unless the child is prevented from reinfecting himself and infeqting .other members of the family, through egg-laden dirt adhering. to the fingers. or carried by contamination of food. EXPULSION ! OK THE WORMSThe worm.? may he effectively removed by. ,thc use of. purgatives and enemata, the best results being ,ob : tainpd jvitji. a five-day treatment, . A doctor sh.o.uld be consulted, a? the proper drugs for use in thp .carrying out,.of the treatment can he prescrib r led by a.,dpctor, only. HoYy.ey.er, the mere giving, of drtjgs alone., will npt cure thp condjtion . permanently, and the. success of the. treatmppt depends so much on the, proper carrying out. of the wljple routine, that, w.e feel the following detailed . ..instructions for general treatment will be helpful:— 1. ,The first -day the . child should he- given a light simple diet, . as shown hejow. Tp the afferooop drive the. wprms-dpwn, intp the lower, bowel by giving a dose of eastpr oil.- When this has acted . the bo>ye} should he evacuated by ,a largo injection of warn) : wiitpp and soap (say a, pint). This , shouicj .be injected slowly,, and retained. a? lqng as can ho.managed. A fight, simple diet mpy include bread (baked hard pr dried in the ovep), millc. and jratcr, ,pau|if!ower, or puyee spinacl}, and fruit juice. The. following .foodstuffs, should be .avoided: Porridge f Jnscnits, fiptter,, fprinaepous puddings, pastry, jam and s\yeqts of all kind. Fried, and isalt meat should not be,faken. Boj)ed .jnjlk .and water, curds, whp.v, or hu term ilk may . he taken. 2. No food should be allowed on the second day of the treatment, but the child should have a. full, allowance of,,boiled water. The "powders (containing the proper medicine according to the doctor’s prescription) should be given on this day—the day no food is given. 3. 4 and 5. On the third, fourth, and fifth days a, warm bath should be given, and an enema of warm soapy water, followed, after the bowels have acted, bv an injection of about 6oz of warm salt and water (a level tablespoonful of salt to the pint of water). The fluid is to he introduced slowly, and allowed to stay in as long as possible. The child may have light diet on the third.day, and return by the sixth day to a normal diet, containing as much in the way of fresh vegetables and fruit as possible and the minimum amount of sugar. PREVENTION OF REINFECTION. ; (This: is most- important, and is -often forgotten. The anal region must be carefully washed after each motion, and' it should be smeared with special ointment (as' prescribed by the doctor).. The child’s nails must be kept very short, and frequently brushed with warm water and soap. - Improve the general health and digestion; Both general debility and indigestion strongly favors the continuance of worms? The treatment is therefore not complete until the general health and digestion have been carefully attended to. In addition to careful dieting,, including avoidance of food between meals, the ' child should be kept in the open air as much as possible, and should have abundance of sunlight and a sufficiency of exercise, rpst, and sleep.

It may seem that these instructions involve a great deal of time and trouble for the curing of such a common ailment as thread worms, hut sometimes it. is extremely difficult (o get completely rid of the thread worms, to prevent reinfection, and restore the child to perfect health. Tn any case, where much difficulty is encountered in getting rid of this really serious and debilitating disease, five days, or even a week, eouhl not be better spent than in the entire eradication of the source of trouble.

We nqed scarcely say that the child affeeted should not be allowed to play with other children, or even to go near them or touch them, until the trouble is overcome. Other members of the family should be examined, and treated if necessary. Usually there are several persons affected in the same family, which makes the results of. the treatment of only one member doubtful.