HEALTH NOTES.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 1 November 1928, Page 2

HEALTH NOTES.

STRONG SCHOOL CHILDREN. SUGGESTIONS TO PARENTS. (Contributed by the Department of Health.-) The health of children is of the greatest national importance, and tiie parent who brings up a child healthy and virile penorms the greatest service to the Lmpire. In order that your child may receive the fullest benefit from his school training and grow up to be a healthy and vigorous citizen, you are ashed to do your part by attending to the following matWhen notified by the school medical officer that your child is suffering irom defective eyesight, enlarged tonsils, adeno-ds, or other abnormal condition, should at once consult your own doctor or get advice at the public hospital. Children cannot receive full benefit from mental or physical work until such defects are removed. SLEEP AND FRESH. AIR. For children under twelve years of age there should be twelve hours sound sleep nightly. All children require at least ten hours of quiet, reireshing sieep in a well-aired bedroom with open windows. Many young children are not sent to bed early enougn and do not get enough rest. Delicate, nervous, ana excitable children especially need sleep. The excitement of evening entertainments or noisy romps at bedtime is very harmful, and interfere with sleep and health. Each child should have his own bed if at all possible, and should never ' sleep in any clothes worn during the day. The house should be well ventilated, and it is especially important at night to have all bedroom windows wide open and the bedroom door open. It is better still to use a sleeping porch. This is the best preventive of colds. The bed should be out of the direct draught. If children are nervous with bedroom windows widely open, fasten wire netting across. All children should have a hot bath at least once a week for cleansing. -A cold bath or a quick cold sponge every morning is to most children a very valuable skin and nerve tonic. School children should have the hair well washed once weekly. Every child’s bowels should move at least once a day. Children should make a practice of going to the closet at the same time daily —after breaklast, before leaving for school. A habit of the bowels ’is thus set up. Neglect of this simple rule may be tlie cause of serious trouble and lifelong constipation. Bran added to porridge (one part bran to four parts oatmeal) keeps the bowels regular. Teaching children that it. is disgusting not to wash their hands or. leaving the closet.

FOOD. Teach children to wash their hands before meals. Food should be simple ' and well cooked. It should include a plentiful supply of butter, .fresh milk, fresh-vegetables, and fruit. It is important that children should have a good breakfast without hurry, as the tear of being late for soliool seriously interferes with a child’s appetite and digestion. Where lunch is earned to school, sandwiches and, if possible, fruit should be taken. Rich cakes and pastry or biscuits should! not be allowed. Sandwiches, with filling made from a little meat, fish, eggs, grated cheese, nuts, raisins, dates, celery, or tomato, are more nutritious than with jam. Wholemeal bread is far more nourishing than white bread. A suitable diet for school children may be selected from the following: Breakfast.—Wholemeal bread, oventoast, ’or oat cake (something hard to chew); stewed fruit; porridge with milk or cream and no sugar; eggs or fish; milk, or cocoa, or water; no meat, and no tea. Lunch (when taken at school). — Whole-meal sandwiches as above; lettuce, celery, tomato, or other fruit; milk or cocoa.

Dinner (preferably) at midday). — Scotch broth or other vegetable soup, lentil or pea soup; fish, egg and cheese dishes (which would take the place of meat); meat; vegetables, especially green vegetables; potatoes; milk puddings; custards; plain -suet pudding; stewed or raw fruit. Tea (where dinner is taken at' mid-day).—Whole-meal bread, oven toast, or oat cake; butter or honey or jam; uncooked salad vegetables or fruit; milk or water.

Children should drink three or four glasses of water daily, preferably between meals.

Note. —Owing to its effect in preventing dental decay it is wise to conclude each meal with a small piece of fresh fruit or salad Apple, celery, radish, or even a small piece of carrot. Avoid pickles, vinegar, tinned food, fried meats, many sweets or biscuits, rood between meals.

N.B.—Vigorous exercise of the jaws in chewing hard food is absolutely necessary for the proper development of the teeth, jaws, an.d nose. Therefore all crusts should be eaten, and overtoasted bread is beneficial. It is essential that children’s mouths should be kept celan and their teeth in good condition. Children should be taught to clean their teeth twice daily —in the morning and before going to bed —and whenever necessary have the attention of a dentist.

CLOTHING. All clothing for children fliould be clean, warm, and light, not excessive, and sufficiently light to necmir, of freedom of movement. It .is good for children to go barelegged (preferably with sandals) in •niramer, but in the winter warm stockings are advisable, and the abdomen and ih.ghj as far as tile knee should be well covered.

For girls a suitable costume for general wear and for physical exercise and games is a loose tunic hanging from the shoulders and reaching to the knee, a loose blouse with sleeves loose enough to allow the arms to

stretch fully overhead, a pair of dark ( knickers with washable underknickers in winter. In summer loose frocks and knickers may be made of the same washable material. Corsets and bodices which do not allow the freest expansion of the chest and abdomen are absolutey condemned, A loose home-made bodice or the “Liberty” bodice sold by drapers is best. Woven singlet of thickness suitable for the season. There should be no tight elastic bands round the waist or thighs. To obtain beauty of figure and a strong and straight back, absolute freedom is essential. For boys the following is suitable: in winter, pants with washable underpants, a ’loose flannel shirt or jersey giving plenty of room at the neck and wrists, a woollen undershirt. In the summer, washable “shorts,” a light liannel shirt with or without thin singlet, or a ootton shirt with thin wool or aertex singlet. Belts, if worn, should be loose, but good braces when practicable are preferable. On hot sunny days it is important that the back of the neck should be protected by wide-brimmed hat. or sun heimet. N.B. —No child is properly clothed who has not a handkerchief, It is a most important article botli for health and cleanliness. Beware of boots which are too short or have narrow or pointed toes. They cause corns, bunions, and ugly deformsuffering in after-life. The toes sliould have plenty of room to spread; heels must be broad and flat. Sandals are good wear for summer time. Both in summer and winter children are better to go barefooted than to wear leaky and unsuitable boots. It is a good plan to keep a dry change of footwear for use in school. Remember: Health is made or marred during the growing period. Health means happiness. . Health means economy. Health is every child’s natural birthright.