RECOGNITION OF THE SICK CHILD

Te Ao Hou, April 1958, Page 62

RECOGNITION OF THE SICK CHILD FROM 2 to 5 YEARS OF AGE by Dr. A. W. S. THOMPSON The notes that follow were written primarily for nursery play centre supervisors. They will repay careful study by parents who from time to time are confronted with sudden and apparently inexplicable upsets in their growing children. It is suggested that this page should be kept for reference. The object of these notes is to help you to decide whether or not a child is ill, and when to send for a doctor. This is no more than Granny used to do in the old days. We need not consider cases which can be recognized as illness at a glance (e.g., where a child suddenly doubles up with a violent pain in the abdomen and lies retching and groaning). You will not know what it is, but you would naturally send for a doctor in such cases. It is important to recognise illness early— In case it is infectious. In case it is serious and needs attention urgently. Granny knew the child, and noticed some change from normal habits or disposition. It was “not itself,” It was bad tempered, quarrelsome or “grizzly,” it looked drowsy or lacking in interest, wouldn't play with its toys, refused food, perhaps visited the lavatory more often than usual—and so on. Unless the illness begins suddenly (e.g., child feels sick or vomits, complains of “sore head” or “tummy-ache”, etc.), the child often merely loses interest in his surroundings and gradually withdraws into himself. The other children often take no notice. It is well to remember that a pre-school child seldom complains of a sore throat, so a serious throat condition (especially diphtheria) may be overlooked. The first sign of trouble may be the refusal of food or drink because of pain on swallowing. It is a medical rule that every sick child's throat must be examined. Also, he can seldom say accurately where his pain is—especially if it is in the tummy. He generally puts a hand vaguely in the middle of it.