Mother's Remedies Part 159

The cry of illness? This is moaning, fretful, easily aroused to crying.

This can be distinguished even from a little distance before seeing baby, if you have heard it once. A baby who cries to get things stops when he gets them.

If baby cries at night what shall I do? See that he is comfortable, clothing all smooth under and about him, with warm feet and hands, and clean unsoiled napkin. If he is all right, let him cry. If it is habitual, find out the cause.

If baby cries from temper or habit what shall I do? Let him cry it out, you must conquer him or he will make of your life a burden. Be sure first it is habit or temper and then conquer him. I have seen many babies who cried from cause and I have also seen those who needed conquering.

But will not crying cause rupture? Not in young infants if the band is properly applied and not under any conditions after one year.

HOW TO LIFT A CHILD.

Grasp the clothing below the feet with the right hand and slip the left hand and, arm beneath the infant's body to its head. It is then raised upon the left arm and its head is upon your arm or chest. This supports the entire spine and there is no undue pressure upon the chest or abdomen, as is often the case when baby is grasped around the body or under the arms.

How shall I lift a child who is old enough to run about? Place your hands under the child's arms, at the arm-pits and never by the wrists.

Can I injure the child lifting it by its hands or wrists? Yes, it often injures the elbows or shoulder joints.

TEMPERATURE.

Normal temperature of an infant? This varies more than it does in adults.

In the r.e.c.t.u.m it varies from 98 degrees F. to 99.5 degrees F., and a temperature in the r.e.c.t.u.m of 98 degrees F. or of 100 degrees F. is not of much importance unless it continues.

Where should I take the temperature of infants and young children? First the r.e.c.t.u.m, next the groin, the first is from one-half a degree to a degree higher than that of the groin.

How long should the thermometer be left in place? Two minutes in the r.e.c.t.u.m and five minutes in the groin.

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What meaning has the different temperature in a young child? 100 degrees F. to 102 degrees F. means a mild illness.

One hundred four degrees F. or over means a serious illness. The duration of the fever is more important. Slight causes often produce a high temperature in all young children which lasts for a few hours. There is then not much cause for alarm unless the temperature continues high or is accompanied by important symptoms of illness.

Is high temperature a more serious symptom in a young child than in an adult? No, for young children are very sensitive to conditions which produce fever and the thermometer often gives an unduly high idea of the severity of the symptoms. The same cause which would produce a temperature in an adult of 102 degrees F. or 103 degrees F. would likely produce a temperature of 104 degrees or 105 degrees F. in a child.

NERVOUSNESS.

What are the princ.i.p.al causes of nervousness in young infants and in children? The brain is a delicate structure at this time, and it grows rapidly, and during the first year of life grows as much as during all the rest of life. This needs quiet and peaceful surroundings and infants who are naturally nervous should be left almost alone, and few people should see them. Such babies should not play much. The poor little baby is often so tried by the attentions given him by older people that he does not know what to do, and as one author, a lady, says: "If he could speak he would beg for a quiet hour, and be perfectly happy if left alone with his own little hands and toes for his sole amus.e.m.e.nt." Babies of the very poor are less nervous than those of the wealthy and this is generally due to the fact that their mothers are too busy to constantly entertain and bother them. Children are better companions for babies than adults. Such little attentions given by the parents and relatives make sleepless and nervous babies very often. Playing with them before time and out of season, makes them not only nervous and irritable, but causes indigestion and allied diseases.

TOYS.

It is instinct for baby to put everything in its mouth. However, toys should be chosen that are smooth, easily washed and which cannot be swallowed. Avoid toys with sharp points like corners, or loose parts, small objects that can be pushed into the nose or ear or swallowed, such as coins, marbles, b.u.t.tons, safety pins, beads, painted toys and those covered with hair or wool. Infants frequently swallow such wool or hair.

KISSING.

What objections are there to kissing babies? They are many and serious. No one, at least, outside of the immediate family has any right to kiss baby.

Tuberculosis, diphtheria, syphilis and many other diseases are given by kissing. If infants are kissed at all, they should be kissed upon the cheek or forehead.

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FOREIGN BODIES.

If in the throat, examine and remove with the finger. If it has gone into the stomach, give plenty of dry food, such as bread, potatoes, but do not give an emetic or cathartic. An infant should have its usual food. A cathartic would hurry the foreign body too rapidly through the intestines, and in this way do harm. In the usual way it becomes coated with fecal matter and usually pa.s.ses the intestines without causing any injury.

What shall I do if it is in the ears? If you can easily remove it with your fingers or small hair pin or crochet hook, do it. If not, take the baby to a physician. If it is a corn, bean or pea, do not wet it, or it will swell and become larger.

What if it is in the nostril? Place baby upon the table with its face toward a good light and use a hair pin bent right and pa.s.s this slowly and carefully behind the object, and pull slowly forward; or compress the empty nostril and have the child blow the nose strongly. If not removed easily, see a physician.

COLIC.

This is a very common disturbance in children, and is always due to disturbed digestion. It occurs in both nursed and bottle-fed babies, and may appear in the healthiest baby from error in the last meal, or error of diet or habit in the mother. Some mothers cannot under any circ.u.mstances secrete good nouris.h.i.+ng milk, suitable for their children, and continued stomach and bowel disturbances with colic and emaciation follow its use.

Such mothers should not nurse their baby.

What are the causes of colic? As before stated, it is due to indigestion

What causes indigestion? In nursing babies this may be due to some irregularity in the health or habits of the mother, or change in her dieting, and if the colic is not persistent the cause is not hard to find.

Worry, trouble, sorrow, anger, overwork, and errors of diet in the mother often cause this trouble or the child may nurse too fast, too long, too much, or too often, or the milk may be too rich. If so, give baby an ounce of hot water before nursing. Hand-fed children are too often over-fed, and this produces indigestion.

What are the symptoms of colic? The child screams sharply; the cry comes suddenly and returns every few minutes; he draws up his legs and feet; the muscles of his face contract and he has other signs of pain. The belly is usually hard and tense.

What can I do for colic? First warm his feet and hands by placing them against a hot-water bag, or holding them before the open fire, turn him on his stomach, letting him lie on a hot-water bag or hot piece of flannel; pat his back gently to help up the wind and give him a little hot water with a medicine dropper and a few drops of essence of peppermint may be added to the water. If the colic continues, put ten drops of turpentine into a half teacupful of warm water, and inject this slowly into the r.e.c.t.u.m, and at the same time gently rub the abdomen so as to start the wind. If the wind is in the stomach, give him one-half a soda mint tablet dissolved in a tablespoonful of very warm water, or a little soda. If the attacks are frequent, the foods are too strong; use less cream or milk and more water. Regulate the mother's diet carefully if the baby nurses, and she should take some exercise out of doors, if possible, and try not to be nervous. Cereals, cocoa, milk, eggs, gruels made of corn, oatmeal; most fruits, not tart, and vegetables, with some meat, make a good diet for a nursing mother. The bowels must move freely every day at least once.

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MOTHERS' REMEDIES.--1. Wind Colic, Yarrow Tea for.--"Steep the yarrow tea the same as for catnip tea or any ordinary herb, and give as often as necessary." This is a remedy that has been very much used, and will help in a great many cases. It is perfectly harmless, and no one need have any fear of trying it.

2. Colic, Camphor Cure for.--"One drop of camphor in a teaspoonful of water. This remedy worked like a charm with my little girl." This acts quickly, and is sure to give relief as it warms up the stomach.

3. Wind Colic, Castor Oil for.--"Give large doses of castor oil." Colic, as we all know, is frequently caused by fermentation of the food in the stomach and bowels, and castor oil is one of the best known cathartics in a case of this kind. This can be given to small babies, in small quant.i.ties of course.

4. Wind Colic.--A New York mother sends in the following relief for:--"Give enough essence of wintergreen in water to make it taste for a small babe, and more according to age. For mine I give 1/4 to 1/2, cup of warm sweetened water. I have always used this remedy, as it was recommended to me by my mother. It is better than peppermint as it is not so binding."

5. Wind Colic, a Good Herb Remedy for.--Add enough water to one ounce of snake root to make one-half pint." Give in doses according to the age of the child. This is a good remedy, and has been used by many mothers with good success.

6. Wind Colic.--A doctor in New York sends in the following remedy for.--"One-half teaspoonful sweet spirits of nitre in one-third gla.s.s of water, for baby. Increase the dose for older children or adults. This warms the stomach, and is highly recommended."

7. Wind Colic, Cloves for.--"Make an infusion of 1 or 2 ounces of cloves.