The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1921-05-13
THE HEALTH CENTER
Conducted by Viola Hahn, Public
Health Nurse
The Growing Child

maryland STATE. BOARD OF heaiCn anu
the County Health Officer.
u alnutrition Should Be Treated.
Unless the condition is recognized
early and measures taken to correct
1t, the effects of malnutrition in
childhood may last to adult life. IT
may show itself as prolonged i'll
health and feeble resistance to dis
ease; the Individual may grow up
understood and underweight, in
stead Of strong, healthy well de-
veloped man or woman.
What To Do.
In order to recognize malnutrition
before serious consequences have
followed, the most important thing
is, watch the child'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 recorded and special at:
tention should be given to those
who do not make a normal gain by
the parents, teacher, or school nurse
or doctor IL there is one. 1t is es-
sential that every child of the school
age should receive a full medical
examination once year.
A child who is suffering from
malnutrition--t that is. one who is
much below normal weight or who
is steadily losing weight or one who
is not making normal gain
should at once be taken to physi-
clan and examined to see if any dis
ease is developing. In the case ci
children residing in areas in which
malaria or hookworm prevail the
physician should search for tnt
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 violating and wheth-
n this pertains to his food, his
habits of eating, his hours OF play,
If home and school work, or of
sleep.
Malnutrition is cured by correct
ng injurious habits or removing the
anses already mentioned upon
fhich it depends. Often it is a
natter of enforcing discinline in the
lone.
Is your child suffering from mall
nutrition?
Some Hints On Feeding Children.
n In dealing with malnutrition the
'ollowing suggestions regarding
hildren's diet may be helpful.
During infancy the diet should
onsist wholly of milk, and since no
parfect substitute for mothers milk
IS known, mothers should always
urse their babies at the breast, I'M
ess otherwise advised by a COM
potent physician.
At six months the baby begins to
'ae able to digest starch; therefore
st this time small amounts Of barley
''nd oatmeal water may be given
it'll the milk. 1t is also we'll to
live teaspoonful OF orange juice
twice 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 day, preferable in
the morning.
At about the fifteenth or sixteen
tn month small amounts of baked
potato, apple sauce, and the pulp of
thoroughly cooked. prunes may be
added to baby's diet.
! When child is " or 8 years of
age the mother may begin to give
one or two teaspoonsful of scraped
meat or an egg. In general. meat
should be given very sparingly to
small children during hot weather,
and an egg should not be given
oftener than once or twice week
to child to 6 years old.
Sugar other than that obtained
naturally in foods, is not necessary
for young child's diet. Simple
deserts, such as custards, apple
'auce and prune pulp may. be given
as early as the twentieth month and
in amounts suited to the age.
AS the child grows older it may
gradually partake of the same meals
as the parents, care being taken to
see that the diet is mixed and
varied. and that it supplies all the
elements necessary to insure
growth. Milk should be given at
each meal.
Infants should be given cool, (not
cold) boiled water several times
during the day and older children
'hould be encouraged to drink a
glass of water on rising. and an
a hnndonoo ne suoh~w 4hwo,.wh~ ..k a.