OUR BABIES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22020, 1 August 1933, Page 13

OUR BABIES

By Htoiia.

Published under th« auspices of the Royal New Zealand Society for th« Health of Women and Children (PlunSet Society). "It it wiser to put up a fenc« at the top of a precipice than to maintain an ambulance at the bottom." COLDS. Summer used to be the worst season for babies. But mothers have now learnt so much about the proper feeding and care of infants, and are so thoroughly impressed with the need for special precautions in the hot weather, that serious diarrhoea is very rare—indeed the vast majority of our babies go through the summer quite without upset. Winter now presents the greater danger. Investigation into the causes of death amongst babies under Plunket supervision shows bronchitis and pneumonia, causing winter deaths, to be the most serious factor. The trouble is that we accept the common cold as inevitable, and do not realise that it is the usual precursor of bronchitis and pneumonia and such lowered resistance that the baby readily falls a victim to even a mild infection. If baby has been rendered really hardy and strong by good feeding and exercise and sensible clothing, etc., there is comparatively little to fear from infections in winter or any other time. Just now, with colds, coughs, and influenza the order of the day, one notices specially the very striking difference in resistance between the hardy baby and the coddled child. PREVENTION. Even now it is not too late to start preventive measures. The great thing is to increase the child's resistance. Keep the house well ventilated and have the children out of doors as much as the weather permits. Make use of every odd half-hour of sunshine. Do not let the baby remain in the kitchen. Dress the children according to the temperature of the day, not the season. Constant overclothing is very weakening, and lowers the resistance. See that the children have long, unbroken sleep at night and a daytime sleep. Give a cool sponge down and a brisk vigorous rub after the bath every niorning. When lifting from a warm bed after sleep protect the children from sudden chilling by wrapping in a shawl or blanket. Colds are infectious. Keep children away from anyone who has a cold or other respiratory trouble. Do not allow indiscriminate kissing and fondling. TREATMENT. If baby catches a cold, especially if he is feverish, remember the following simple suggestions:— The child's main need is for fluidwarm boiled water or diluted fruit juice. He needs less food and more water than usual; consequently do not press him to take all his ordinary food if he is disinclined for it. If there is any digestive upset dilute the baby's milk mixture with a few ounces of extra water. Drinks of water or fruit juice should be given frequently between meal times. The giving of sufficient fluid is an important point, and one which is often neglected, because the child is very apt to refuse drinks, probably because the throat is sore. If this is the case every possible means of inducing the child to drink must be resorted to. If coaxing and wiles fail, strong measures may be necessary for the child's own good. Try the child with his drink through a straw. This method seldom fails to appeal. Never mind if the small patient does a partial starve for a few days so long as you get him to take fluids. He will probably be the better without solid food, but the body is much hampered in its fight against the hostile germs if it is not supplied with plenty of water.

Keep the bowels regularly and well opened. Keep the nostrils clear. Raise the head and shoulders a little higher than usual in the. cot if breathing seems easier in this way. Give him a good warm bath to open the pores of the skin. Cool down the bath with cold water before taking him out- to close the pores, and keep him warm in bed. A warm bath should be given daily during the cold, but the warm water should be cooled down at the conclusion of the bath. Then rub the chest and trunk over with warm olive oil. The child should, of course, be kept warm and out of draughts. The idea of bathing the baby during a cold is perhaps a little unconventional, for one commonly finds that babies or small children have not been bathed for days during the course of a severe cold. One has only to think how important a part the skin plays in ridding the body of impurities to realise that it is_ doubly necessary to keep the skin active and cleansed during a time when poisons of a cold are circulating in the body. While the temperature is actually raised above normal, it may be as well to sponge the child all over in bed or on the lap in front of the fire instead of actually bathing, but unless this procedure can be carried out quickly and deftly then there is really more risk of exposure and chilling than there is from a quick full bath given in a cosy, warm corner of the room. In any case the child should be tucked up in a previously warmed bed directly after the bath or sponge. CONVALESCENCE. During convalescence be specially careful to'guard the crawling and toddling baby from chilling. It is well to keep the crawling baby off the floor for a few days. Remember that fresh air and sunshine are the best germ killers known. Don t keep the children with colds cooped up in stuffy rooms. Let them be outside so long as they are kept warm and protected from cold winds. When they must be indoors see that the room is well ventilated. THE DANGER OF COMPLICATION. Do not let. a cold 'go on indefinitely without getting medical advice. Especially if there is a chesty cough or any difficulty in breathing, if the child remains feverish or drowsy, or if there are any signs of ear trouble send for a doctor without delay. Don't forget that a cold "may be compared to a camp fire in dry weather—slight "changes may produce disastrous results." Many serious illnesses, many perhaps fatal cases of pneumonia or bronchitis, developing out of " common " colds, could be prevented if taken in time, the child being placed under proper medical care in the early stages, of the trouble.