OUR BABIES.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 12 January 1929, Page 15

OUR BABIES.

(By Hygeia.) ) Published under the auspices of the Royal New Zealand Society for the Health of Women and Children (Plunket Society). DIARRHOEA. Treatment of a Threatened Attack. ■ If a motion appears green when j passed, the mother should, be on her j guard at once, and should observe > carefully the next motion. Sometimes a motion becomes green or greenish after being exposed to the air for a time —this ts oi no consequence. Sometimes the motions are slightly greenish when passed, or partly greenish, but on rubbing with a corner of the napkin it is round that they are mostly quite yellow. If there is also some partially undigested food in the motions, this is a sign that the baby’s digestion is being overtaxed in some way. The food should be diluted for a few feeds, and worked up to full strength again gradually, or otherwise adjusted by the advice of the PJunket Nurse. These slightly greenish stools do not necessarily mean that an attack of diarrhoea. is threatened, hut they should always put the mother on her guard, for, as we have explained, indigestion is the main predisposing cause of diarrhoea. If a second green’ motion is passed, especially if it is relaxed, and l is passed within a short time of the first, the mother should proceed as follows, whether habv is breast-fed or hottle-fed: 1. Give a dose of castor oil —one or j two teaspconfuls, according to age. 'The average need is an ordinary teaJ spoonful (not a small afternoon teaspoonful), but a very small or delicate baby may need less. 2. Give boiled water only for the next two or three feedings at least. (If the baby is breast-fed the mother must draw off the milk from her breasts at the usual feeding times, either by expressing with the fingers and thumb or by a. breast-pump or I soda water bottle. (See “The Expectant Mother and Babv’s First Month.”) If the green and frequent motions still _ persist, and habv appears to he getting worse, continiie to give boiled water only and call in a doctor. If the motions are improving after the oil and water for two or three feedings, and brt.bv does not appear ill, proceed as follows : 1. In the Case of a Breast-fed Baby : Give a few ounces of boiled, water immediately before nursing, and allow baby to suckle for a few minutes only. At the next feeding give rather less water and a. slightly longer period at the breast, and so on, the amount of water being cautiously reduced at eacli feeding and the suckling prolonged accordingly. It may be necessary to take several days' or even a week or more to get hack to full normal feedings. 2. In the Case of a Bottle-fed Baby :

ji/itiier pxoeeeu utcuicuiig vo me lil--51,,. ucLioiia oil- p.oz ana iuo-ioy ' 'x 1 tlfcutiuu oiii'c oi -unuy," or AyioCoiiCiiitie liuiiiaiiisucL milk lor a. iOw uajs, giving lu&ieau a mixture Oils iUinnieU liiliii vt’iiXOll mm Oeen 00-iieu xur io inmates ana diluted nun v, ater.

At, the first feeding after the period on bonea water only, give 1 part noiie-O) nsidm milk to 4 parts nonect water. At the next two feedings give 2 pairs boiled sKim mills to o parts uoned water. lit tiife next two or three feedings give 3 parts toned, slum mills to a- parts Doiled water. Ir an is now going well, there- being no fui'tner green or frequent motions, undiluted humanised rank, boiled tor live minutes, may be introduced into cue Siam innk and water mixture, until in the course of a few days or a ueeis or more (.according to progress; die baoy may be taking oniy ooiied immunised innk. Tne time or boning may tnen be reduced, by a minute or two a day, until the mixture is merely scalded or pasteurised in the usual way. rat, whether in the form or top mills or New Zealand emulsion, is not well taken in eases of diarrhoea, and n given too soon or in too great quantity alter even a slight attack, may cause further trouble. Always reduce tne fat nr baby’s food after an attack or diarrhoea by reducing or discontinuing the time, of setting for top milk, or by discontinuing tne emulsion temporarily if the baby is on humanised milk No. 111. Work up the time of setting again gradually, or reintroduce the emulsion by giving one teaspoonful in the 24 hours to start witli, and increasing the amount by about half a teaspoonful a day until full strength is reached, being guided in each case by the motions and baby’s condition. In severe cases of diarrhoea it may be necessaray to cut elf fat almost completely from the baby’s food for a j considerable time, giving the boiled skim milk and water mixture (in the proportion of about 4oz of skint milk to loz of water) for a longer period before introducing any humanised milk.

Discontinue fruit juice during the attack, but if all goes well reintroduce it gradually as soon as the motions have been normal for a few days. Older Children.

Treat threatened diarrhoea, in the same way—that is, give an adequate dose of castor oil and nothing hut boiled water for two or three meal times. Then give- boiled milk diluted with rice water. Work gradually back to full diet by means of simple, easily-digested food. It is naturally impossible to give definite rules which will apply to every case. Imagination and common sense are necessary in this, as in everything. Consult the Plunket Nurse if one is within reach, or write to the nearest nurse or Karitane Hospital for advice if you are in doubt or difficulty.