Putnam patriot., 1920-02-27
Defects in Children
(By Priscilla DEAN

There should be no defects in chill
dren. If there are defects it is a
crime to permit them to remain. In
this modern age there is no excuse for
neglect in this respect. | have heard
that spinsters are always ready to tell
mothers how children should be
brought up. You will not be surpris-
ed, then, when l say that | am going
to deliver this beauty talk to mothers
young mothers-with young chill
dren. Young mothers, themselves,
are usually perfectly lovely They
need no additional identifying. But
a few timely suggestions on how to
make their children beautiful may be
of value.
The subject was suggested to me
by young man. He was one of sew
eral persons l have met during the
past year who has grieved and suffer
ed as a result of maternal neglect and
ignorance. No parent has right to
permit a child to grow up with wide,
outstanding, unlovely ears when a
little care will do much to remedy the
Disagreement. No parent has right
to permit child to grow to maturity
with protruding teeth, crossed eyes,
misshapen head, bowed legs or any
other Disagreement or abnormality
which may be corrected by home care
or medical treatment.
One of the persons ! have in mind
is usually described as "ehinless.' of
unusual mental endowment, this
young man manifested, even in child
hood every indication of genius. His
apparent Disagreement, however
made him unpisasantiy conspicuous
His features were a subject of COM
ment. Older people taetlessly ignore
his presence when in conversation
with one another.
What is the matter with that
child's CHM" Often he had heard
that question asked. 1t troubled him
He became shy and self conscious.
Naturally sensitive, he brooded over
what ne considered his LONELINESS. He
envied others who were far less hand
some than he, despite his small de-
feet. In his mind the defect was mag
|
ed how many tears her little boy shed
nor how many hours he lay awake at
night. broodiug over his affection. He
was chided for sullenness, called stu
pid and contrary, even punished, for
moods and acts which, had people but
known, all had their origin an the fact
that has face Offered in that one re
81 ~ l.ap sab
mates.
At the earliesa opportunity he ac-
cepted work in distant city and
there consulted a dentits. To the
latter he explaine5 that he wanted his
upper teeth pulled back to meet those
of his lower jaw.
"Irrpossible," the dentist replied
"Your apper teeth are properly plac-
ed and your lower jaw is properly
formed. There is absolutely no de
formity. You have a perfectly strong
well-shaped chin. The only trouble
is that your lower jaw sets back a lit
tie farther than The upper. The or
binary observer does not take that in
to consideration and says you lack a
chin"
s'But | want something done to
remedy the defect" persisted the
yoath.
1T is too late now" was the dis
ccuraging answer. 1.-THE defect,
which is very slight, should have been
renedie when you were baby Then
YOUR lower jaw could easily have been
pulled and massagei gently forward
into place. 1t is a great pity it was
not done. Your mother should have
given it attention"
Let that be a lesson to other moth
ers.
A very different case in point and
from which another lesson may be
learned was that Of the woman whose
first baby. born wisen she, herself, was
but eighteen years old, was what
| would now be termed ian incubator
| baby" He was so tiny that for two
months his mother cared for him on a
pillow and his father was afraid to
touch him. But during all those weeks
his mother never neglected to turn the
little fellow every hour.
"His head was so queer and mis-
shapen," she said, that ! really was
afraid he was deformed or idiotic.
The doctor told me not to be discour-
aged, and every day ! would gently
massage the little head and try to
mould it into shape. turned the
baby often, so his head would be
round and not fiat at the back or side,
and / kept little cap on him to keep
his ears from standing out too far.
Don't you think ! succeeded well?"
The question was asked as a tall,
handsome young man entered the
room. His head was well shaped, his
bearing military.