Phillips County herald., 1924-02-21
BACKWARD CHILDREN
COSTLY TO STATE
Recent Survey Shows One State
Paid $25.o 900 in Year for
"Repeaters."

Retarded school children in one mid
western state last year cost that.s'ate
$4,000, 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 ara
known as "repeaters," that is. children
who failed to pass tir examinations
and had to be sent back to do over
again the work that had aot been sue
cessfully done
Only 3 per cent of these children
were backward because of mental de-
fects. 'rhe rest had PHYSICAL defccis
easily corrected. hut which acted on
their mental capacity and their bodily
strength to do the school work. or
those who underwent some treatment
for the correction Of their physical dlt-
ticultes every one without an eXcep-
ton caught up in his or her class and
kept up with the rest of the children
from that tine.
The defects consisted of tonSils ard
adenoids Sufficiently diseased 10 caa"e
irregular attendance AT school L.
fective teeth which We're responsible
for considerable amount of mnlnn-
triton, ana physical weakness; few
cases of defective hearing, and still
fewer cases of defe ctive vision the lat
ter Of which was easily correctlble by
properly adjusted glasses.
This survey was made In an effort
TO determine the value of public
health nursing service in the schools.
The conclusion was that with a public
health nurse installed in connection
with county school systems. Il conSid-
prable 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 LOGO 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
ol lile auuil community.
"Supposms in given community"
said this director. 200 children
should have TO repeat their school
work 4, cause thrir physical condition
muhe Them slow in their studies aud
frequently absent. This would cost
the state Sl2.5OQ year. \ public
health nurse for the same period,
whose duty II would be TO see that the
children were kept well and therefore
would not have 10 repeat. would cost
$1,000. The public health nurse In the
school inspects thr .hildren at regular
intervals. II they are found he sub
normal, thes are examined Icy physl-
clan. If the subnormalIty is due To
any physical trouble the physician or
the nurse. II working alone. recon-
mends fo the parents that the child he
sent at once to its family physician for
treatment so that. although the aiiment
Is slight. IL may he corrected In time
and thus prevent se.ious trouble later
on as well MS 10 put the child Into
better physical condition for its school
work. That is one phase of the public
health nurses worl.
"rhe next phase Is n step beyond.
that OF educating parents to the point
of requiring physical examinations OF
their children before they reach school
age so that they nre ready for their
school work. Some difficulties of child.
hood might be eliminated by care OF
the mother during pregnancy aud ex.
pert attention during the time OF con.
iinement. Infants, apparently well,
VIII benefit by careful inspection nj
regular Intervals. Experiments where
these Inspections ARE made with the
advice OF skilled physicians and
nurses, has been emlnently 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 M health IN bringing
these children TO the point of economic
independence. that Is. fitness for life
and liz responsibilities. Thinking pco.
sle, educators and welfare Workers
are being grcntly attracted by the use.
fulness Of school instruction In Home
Hygiene aud Care Of the Sick for
mothers of families. for high school
girls and even for younger students.
In my opinion there Is no better wny
TO tench prevention Of Illness. good
health habits through sanitation In the
home. aud personal ,lcnnliness thnn by
giving thorough intelligent knowledge
OF care NJ The time of illness for the
protection N ithers rs well as for tL,
comfort of tlie paiicf'."
This work IL being constantly ON.
phaslzed In the sonthwestern Division
nnd Is growing greatly In public in.
terest throughout the division.