HEALTH NOTES

Southland Times, Issue 20010, 26 October 1926, Page 5

HEALTH NOTES

PHYSICALLY HANDICAPPED CHILDREN. SELECTION OF OCCUPATION. (Contributed by the Department of Health.) Among the factors affecting human efficiency and happiness some method of ensuring so far as is practicable that every individual shall be placed in an occupation for which he is physically fitted, is one of the most important. Apart from other considerations, there can be nothing more discouraging that the realisation that the time spent in training a child could have' been more wisely and profitably used in another sphere. This is particularly so in regard to a child suffering from some physical handicap/ such as defective hearing, poor physique, and so on. The recognition of these facts has led in recent years to investigations having for their object the cataloguing of various occupations according to the aptitude and capacities required in them. Whilst the majority of our children in New Zealand are physically fit to earn their Jiving in any way of life that circumstances, inclination, or luck may open to them, there are a few children suffering from the results of some illness, accident, or constitutional weakness which unfits them for certain occupations. Such children can never be successful or happy unless given an occupation within their powers of accomplishment, and it is worth every effort to get them suited. Parents and guardians seldom know what occupations a child with a given defect should avoid, nor what he should seek, and some very tragic failures occur in consequence. Of course, if a child is exceptionally gifted in any direction, the problem of choosing its occupation is much simplified, and exceptional talent, especially when combined with character and perseverance, will triumph over almost any physical handicap. However, for the rank and file of our children, without exceptional gifts to compensate physical defects, these few suggestions are supplied. The occupations mentioned here are not by any means exhaustive, but may serve as a guide. No attempt has been made to distinguish between the social values or the cost of training in the various occupations, for physical defects occur in all walks of life, and in all require thought. Defective sight and defective hearing are two of the commonest defects which need consideration, and often occur in individuals who are robust physically and mentally. DEFECTIVE SIGHT. For those suffering from defective sight, especially short sight, the following occupations are suitable: —Various grades of shop work, baktng, domestic work, poultry farming, piano tuning (musician if musically endowed), perhaps teaching, the church, or law or agriculture, journalism (according to the degree of short-sight). For those who are practically blind the choice is small. But there are basketmaking, typing, massage, and piano-tuning; or, again, those who are talented can become musicians. The short-sighted person should particularly avoid engineering, building, w >rk on railways, work amongst machinery, wool-classing, and sewing. DEFECTIVE HEARING. Defective hearing in certain occupations is a much greater handicap than is usually realised. It is practically incurable and tends frequently to get worse later in life. Even slight degrees therefore should prevent a parent putting a child into the first job that offers. The child who is deaf must particularly avoid work on railways, vehicle driving, auctioneering, medicine, shop serving and stenography, where taking down dictation is involved. Occupations in which (he or she) may be successful, according to the degree of deafness, are carpentry, cabinet making, tailoring, shoe-making, mail-sorting, poultry farming, general agricultural work, plumbing, wool classing, fishing, blacksmithing. For girls there is domestic work, cooking, millinery, dressmaking, wool classing, poultry farming, bee farming. GENERAL POOR PHYSIQUE.

Then there is the weakly, delicate child, undersized, and unlikely to develop later into average strength. These are the children in particular whose gifts and perseverance will often lead them to succeed where others will fail. The general rule which should guide a parent in selecting their occupation is to choose one where skill, craftsmanship, and intelligence are more important than brute strength. Thus he may do most of those occupations generally alluded to as “business.” Shop salesman (excluding very heavy goods), watchmaking (if possessed of mechanical tendencies), headlight working, wire working, photography, re-touching, clerical work, tailoring, shoemaking, saddlery, signwriting, dressmaking, millinery, poultry farming, law, the church are all occupations he can manage. He must particularly avoid those occupations where muscular strength is important, such as general labour, agricultural work, sailor, wharf labourer. DEFECTIVE HEART. The placing of the child with heart trouble is always a source of anxiety to the parent. Those so afflicted should not undertake any very heavy tiring work. In particular, they should avoid work which entails sudden strain, such as lifting heavy weights, hurrying, and so on. If possible, they are better to do something where they are their own “boss” so thkt on their bad day they can slack off or miss a day’s work. They must, therefore, avoid general labour, general agricultural work, sailor, wharf labourer. Girls should not do heavy domestic work, such as washing, scrubbing, lifting heavy pots. Sedentary occupations are usually best for them, such as law, clerical work, journalism, shoemaking, tailoring, or they can do photography, re-touching, watchmaking (if they have a mechanical bent). Girls can do sewing, millinery, typing, etc. THE LOSS OR CRIPPLING OF A LIMB. This obviously incapacitates the victim from a wide-range of occupations. Of these the loss of one leg is probably the least misfortune. Choice must be made from some of the occupations mentioned under the heading of “Defective Heart,” and “General Poor Physique.” Where both legs are involved choice is practically limited to sedentary occupations. For those who have lost one arm there are some branches of clerical work (accountancy), etc., commercial traveller, auctioneer, wool classing, ar I perhaps bee farming. TUBERCULOSIS. Children with a tendency to tuberculosis may live long and healthy lives if they are given a suitable occupation. Gardening in all its branches, letter carrying, signwriting, keeping a shop open to the air, such as a railway bookshop, taxi-driving, and last, but not least, delivering supplies in the country. Anyone with a tendency to tuberculosis should avoid heavy labour, occupations producing dust, especially mining and quarrying, • and occupations in close atmospheres, and the care of animals. EPILEPSY. Epilepsy is a terrible affliction which sadly restricts the sufferers’ choice of work. Gardening and agriculture (not stock work) and sewing seem to be the best occupations. Occupations to be especially avoided are railway work, anything taking the sufferer amongst traffic, such as driving, anything taking him up ladders, etc., such as building, blacksmithing, medicine, • teaching, the charge of children. Even cooking is undesirable because of the danger of falling into the fire. Although the main object in writing this article has been to help parents in the placing of their children, the same consideration apply to those acquiring similar disabilities later in life, rendering it impossible for them to continue in their previous occupation. Remember.—ln the selection of a career for children suffering from disabilities, parents should consult the school teacher, medical officer, and their own medical attendant.