The Washington times., 1920-10-14


nixsd early and measures
are taken to correct IL. the
effects Of mAlnutrition In childhood
may last TO adult life. IL may show
itself as prolonged ill-health and
feeble resistance to disease; the in
dividual may grow up undersizsd
and underweight instead OF not a
strong. healthy well-developed man
or woman.
WATCH CHILD's WEIGHT.
In order to recognize msinutrition
before serious consequences have
followed, the most important thing
is. watch the chiid's weight. In the
case of older children this can best
be done In school and In child health
centers. where monthly weights OF
all children should be taken and re-
every child OF thes school age should
be given to those who do not make
q normal gain by the parents,
teacher, or schol nurse or doctor IL
there 10 one. 1t Is essential that
every child of the schol age should
receive a full medical examination
once q year.
nutrition-that is. one who is much
steadily losing weight or one who is
not making a normal gain-should
at once be taken to . physician and
examined to see II any disease Is
developing. In the case Of children
residing in areas in which malaria
or hookworm prevail the physician
should search for the presence of
the parasites Of these and similar
diseases.
The child's whole daily life should
be carefully gone into to see which
of the rules of health he is violat-
ing and whether this pertains to his
food. his habits of eating, his hours
Of play. Of home and school work, or
of sleep.
Malnutrition Is cured by correct
ing Injurious habits or removing
the causes already mentioned upon
which 1t depends. often 1T is a
matter Of enforcing discipline in
the home.
Is your child suffering from mall
nutrition! Compare his weight with
the standard which was published
in the preceding article.
WHAT DOES YOUR CHILD EATs
In dealing with malnutrition the
following suggestions regarding
children's diet may be helpful:
During infancy the diet should
consist wholly Of milk, and since
no perfect substitute for mothers
milk is known. mothers should al
why's nurse their babies at the
breast, unless otherwise advised by
a competent physician.
At six months the baby begins
to be able to digest starch; there
fore at tbia time small amounts
Of barley or oatmeal water may be
given with the milk. 1t Is also well
to give a teaspoonful of orange
juice twice a day.
When the teeth begin to appear.
a cracker or piece of zwieback
may be allowed. In addition to
this a little cereal jelly without
sugar may be given once a day.
preferable in the morning.
At about the fifteenth or six
teenth month small amounts of
baked potato. apple sauce and the
pulp Of thoroughly cooked prunes
may be added to baby's diet.
when the child is two and one
half or three years of age the
mother may begin to give one or
two teaspoonfuls OF scraped meat
or an egg. In general. meat should
be given very sparingly to small
children during the hot weather,
and an egg should not be given
oftener than once or twice a week
to . child three to six years old.
Sugar. other than that obtained
naturally in foods, Ia not necessary
for young child's diet. Simple
desserts. such as custards. apple
sauce and prune pulp may be given