The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1929-04-18
THE PREVENTION OF DEAF
~ NESS AMONG CHILDREN
May LIST Will Be Observed as
Child Health Day in Nation

In connection with the all-the-year-
round activities for the advancement
of the health and well-being of the
children throughout the country, adj
vocated by President Hoover in his
proclamation setting aside the first
day of May as Child Health Day, spe-
cial thought is being given in many
places to the needs of the child who
has some physical or mental handi-
cap-deafness, bad eyesight, or who
is lame or otherwise crippled or who
is mentally retarded. Organizations in
Maryland that are interested in help
ing children who have any of these
handicaps are represented on the Ma
ryland Committee for Child Health
Day, of which DR.. J. H. NJ Knox, Jr.,
Chief of the Bureau of Child Hygiene
of the State Department of Health, is
chairman.
Some of the nationwide organiza-
tions will have special exercises in
connection with Child Health Day.
Among them is the American FEEDER
alton of Organizations for the Hard
of Hearing which is coupling up its
annual observance of Hearing Week
with Child Health Day and with the
rest of the first week in May. The
Maryland branch of the association,
from it's headquarters at East Cen
ter street, Baltimore, is arranging a
program including a radio talk on
April 80 by DR.. NJ. L. Brietstein, from
Station VIDAL, which will call atten-
ton to the possibility of preventing
much of the deafness that is due to
neglect or lack of care.
'In order that the possibility of
preventing large part of the deaf
ness that occurs among children and
in later life, may be better appreci-
ated, there is great need" DR.. Knox
said, "for a better understanding on
the part of fathers and mothers, of
the close connection between such
deafness and neglected conditions of
the ears, the nose and the throat, fol-
lowing certain infectious diseases,
such as scarlet fever, measles, persis-
tent colds, the so-called catarrhal in
fections, or as a result of adenoids or
diseased tonsils. A recent survey of
children of school age showed that
there are over three million school
children in the United States who are
suffering from the handicap of defec-
tive hearing, ranging from slight i'm
projections to complete deafness. In
quiry into the causes showed that
; much over half of this deafness could
have been prevented.
"The health supervision of children
of school age through the periodical
medical examinations made after they
enter school and of the younger chill
dren in connection with the regular
child health conferences, or by their
family physicians before they are en-
rolled in school, is of the utmost help
in locating children in the early stages
of deafness. But after these exami-
nations have been made and condi-
tions requiring correction have been
pointed out, the responsibility rests
with the parents or guardians of the
children. In many instances, prompt
treatment will not only save much
pain and discomfort, and be of benefit
so far as the general health of the
children is concerned, but it will pro-
tect them from the very serious handi-
cap of either partial or complete deaf
ness"