CHILDREN'S HEALTH

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23221, 15 December 1938, Page 19

CHILDREN'S HEALTH

Sir,—Most people will have a vivid recollection of the live campaign bv the Plunket Scciety, the Physical and Mental Welfare and other voluntarv health organisations to expound that children's health camps, splendid as they are, can never be other than expedients. Dr. Marv Wilson now states that she has completed the examination of over 1500 children in 60 Auckland schools and has found that nearly 40 per cent of those examined are in need of a courro of health treatment. Dr. Wilson further states that the ailments most frequently discovered are dental troubles and nasal complaints. The Minister of Health has already published the fact that 66 per cent of the whole of our children of school ages are suffering from physical defects of one kind or another; and that 80 per cent of all pre-school children are on the sick list. Most of such ailments are preventive, if right measures are taken in time. While having been a staunch supporter of the health camps from the outset, I would like to see some definite action taken by the general public in support of tho suggestions of the Physical and Mental Welfare Society, which have been before the Government for nearly three years past, i.e.: (1) More frequent medical and psychological examinations of all children, with authority to enforce urgent recommendations by the doctors; (2) the nutritional education of parents, together with a large-scale nutrition inquiry into food habits generallv; (3) simple talks to children and adolescents by the physical drill extension authorities on the subjects of elementary biology, physiology. nutrition, etc.; (4) the protection of the public against innutritions foodstuffs and spurious medicines; and (5) the setting up of a co-ordinated and comprehensive scheme of physical and mental health education. By this means New Zealand might "from strength to strength go on," instead of "from expedient to expedient slide back." L.W.S.