OUR BABIES.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 16165, 29 August 1914, Page 13

OUR BABIES.

Bγ Htqeia. Published under the auspices o< the Society for the Health o! Women and Children. " It is wiser to put np a fence at the top ol a precipice than to maintain an ambulance at the bottom." HARD WORK FOR MOUTH, TONGUE, AND JAWS DURING INFANCY. In last week's article I dealt with a letter askmg ''at what age a child should be weaned tram the bottle and spoon-fed," the inquirer remarking that "Children usually have no teeth fit for mastication till at Jeast 18 months oM; tut 6ome think they should be spoon-fed sooner." Our correspondent's inference was obviously that mastication was the function of teeth,'and that, until there was a thoroughly effective set, the work of mastication was scarcely to be expected. In reality mastication can be efficiently performed by jaws and tongue alone if suitable food is selected; and, in any case, chewing and mastication should be preceded, until the baby is well on'in tha first year, by vigorous sucking, inetead of the child being spoon-fed. Towards the close of the first year fluids and soft solids may be given by means of a spoon; but, long before this, graduated and progressive chewing and masticatory exercise should have been ensured daily, first by giving the baby a bone (6ay at six months), and later by the use of crusts, crisp toast, etc. The following is the advice given in the Society's book ("Feeding and Care of Baby"), page 17, as to when spoon-feeding should ordinarily be commenced:— t If weaning is done as early as\the eighth or ninth month, it is better to give the bottle; if at the eleventh or twelfth month, the infant should be taught to take food first from a spoon and then from a cup. THE POWER OF THE TONGUE. How few people grasp' the fact that the main function of the tongue in early childhood is, firstly, to exercise the powerful suction needed to draw milk from the breast; secondly, to forcibly mould and expand the growing jaws, and to form a bold, broad, arching roof to the mouth, ensuring at the same time a spacious noee-cavity above the palate, so that there may be free ingress of air to the windpipe and lungs! How .few c£ us truly realise that even later in childhood—indeed, in adult life—the main function of the tongue (so far as bodily health is concerned) is that of a powerful masticating organ, and; that talking is quite a secondary consideration! An absolutely dumb person may enjoy excellent health. It is impossible to insist too strongly on the paramount importance of ensuring the full growth and development of the tongue throughout infancy and early childhood. WHAT A NOTED SURGEON BAYS. Dr Ernest Waggett, surgeon to the London 'Ihroat Hospital—one of the highest authorities on the mouth, nose, and tnroat, —is so clear and empoatic on thie matter that I shall freely quote what he says, though his remarks are addressed to students and the medical profession, not to the gendrai public:— You who are in the habit of using the tongue-depressor will recognise the fact that the tongue is an organ of remarkable power and of untiring energy. Allow an liitant to suck your finger, and, if tho experience is new, you will be surprised at the iorce which these muscles can • exert even in the first months of life. At jour next meal please notice that it is your tongue which does most of the work iu. mastication, pressing your food out between the teetn and crushing it against tiie hard palate. The tongue 13 indeed THE DOMINANT OEGAN, THE JAWS BEING THE JUKIOB PARTNERS IN THB FtBM. laka notice of your own tongue in rest. ; It does not lie ilaccid upon the floor of the mouth in the attitude in which we • oiten see it whan examining a patient. On the contrary, you will observe that it is in a state of tonus, and that it is closely applied to tho inner side of the teeth and upper jaw, pressing firmly against them end against the front part of the palate. •It ;s not difficult to realise how very important a factor this constant pressure must be in moulding the growing bones. Now, in the adenoid child the mouth is held open during the greater part of thp 24 hours, and there is no longer contact between the tongue and the upper jaw. A tremendously important factor is therefore removed Irom the field of action, and deformity results. . . . Exactly what •you would expect. . . . Looking into the mouth you will see that the Lard palate is unduly high and vaulted, and in a really bad case the front part of the arch is narrowed almost to a cleft. This raising of the roof of the mouth takes ptace at the expense of the nose.

THE CURSE OF A CRAMPED NOSE. ... It ie this inadequate sizo of the nose which chiefly concerns us, and ■very early in jour studies you will become, familiar with the cramped nose . . •which is constantly giving trouble and leading to secondary defects, such as loss of hearing and chronic catarrhal condlticns of the throat. ."' . .A nose blocked in this manner is nevir properly cleared of the secretion which accumulates, and the patient "complains of chronic and constantly-recurring cold. . . . During one of theso prolonged colds, or else when a repetition of them ha 3 induced a chronic inflammatory ewelling of the mucous membrane, the patient will preaeat himself for treatment as a case of nasal obstruction.

PREVENTION BETTER THAN CURE! t . . With judgment and care jou may give him n serviceable organ, but he will .ilwiys remain an imperfect and dhmagsd article with a deformed nose, mouth, and chest. The neglect of his adenoids in childhood has robbed him of the chanco of ever developing into the man he might havo been. . . . It is this fact which imprests •us with the vital importance of dealing with adenoid eases in their early stages; as, unless this impression bears fruit, a very large section of the community will continue to fall short of their natural development both of mind and body, and our hospital and out-patient departments will continue to be iilled with men and women complaining of small ailments in their throats and ears. *