The Elk Mountain pilot., 1923-11-22
BACKWARD CHILDREN
COSTLY TO STATE.
Recent Survey Shows One State
Paid $25, 900 In Year for
"Repeaters."

hepcdtCTos
Retarded school children In one mid
western state last year cost that state
$25 900, according to figures given out
at the headquarters Of the Southwest
ern Division, American Red Cross, In
st. Louis, after an investigation of the
health Of the school children In that
state. These children were what are
known as "repeaters," that is, children
who failed to pass their examinations
and had to be sent back to do over
again the work that had not been sue
cessfully done.
Only 8 per cent Of these children
were backward because Of mental de-
fects. The rest had physical defects,
easily corrected, but which acted on
their mental capacity and their bodily
strength to do the school work. OF
those who underwent some treatment
for the correction Of their physical diff
ficulties every one without an excep-
tion caught up in his or her class and
kept up with the rest of the childra0
from that time.
The defects consisted of tonsils and
adenoids sufficiently diseased to cause
irregular attendance at school; de-
fective teeth which were responsible
for considerable amount of malnu-
triton, and physical weakness; few
cases of defective hearing, and still
fewer cases of defective vision, the lat
ter of which was easily correctible by
properly adjusted glasses.
This survey was made in an effort
to determine the value of n public
health nursing service in the schools.
The conclusion was that with public
health nurse installed in connection
with county school systems, consid-
cradle saving in expense to the state
would result.
According to the Director of Nursing
Service in the Southwestern Division,
one public health nurse should be sup
piled for every 1000 children. For
reasons of economy, however, the
nurses frequently have many more
than this number and they also have
to look after the health and welfare
of the adult community.
"Supposing in given community"
should have to repeat their school
work because their physical condition
made them slow in their studies and
frequently absent This would cost
the state S12,500 year. A public
health nurse for the same period,
whose duty it would be to see that the
children were kept we'll and therefore
would not have to repeat, would cost
$1,000. The public health nurse in the
school inspects the children at regular
intervals. If they are found o be SUBJ
normal, they are examined by physi-
clan. If the subnOrmality is due to
any physical trouble the physician or
the nurse, If working alone, recon-
mends to the parents that the child be
s0nt at once to its family physician for
treatment so that, although the ailment
is slight, it may be corrected in time
and thus prevent serious trouble later
on as well as to put the child into
better physical condition for its sch1Ol
work. That is one phase of the rAhaie
health nurses work.
"The next phase is step beyond,
that of educating parents to the point
of requiring physical examinations of
their children before they reach school
age so that they are ready for their
school work. Some difficulties of child
hood might be eliminated by care Of
the mother during pregnancy and ex-
pert attention during the time of con-
fiHement. Infants, apparently well,
will benefit by careful inspection at
regular intervals. Experiments where
these inspections are made with the
advice of skilled physicians and
nurses, has been eminently successful.
"A third feature Of the public health
nursing work which should be con-
sidered in the question of educating
these backward children is that of the
delay caused by i'll health in bringing
these children to the point of economic
independence, that is, fitness for life
and Its responsibilities. Thinking peO-
pie, educators and welfare workers
are being greatly attracted by the use
fulness of school instruction in Home
Hygiene and Care of the Sick for
mothers of families, for high school
girls and even for younger students.
In my opinion there is no better way
to teach prevention of illness, good
health habits through sanitation In the
home, and personal cleanliness than by
giving thorough Intelligent knowledge
of care at the time Of illness for the
protection of others as well as for til /,
comfort of the patier-."
This work is being constantly EN-.
phasized in the Southwestern Division
and is growing greatly in public in.
terest throughout the division.