The Waterbury Democrat., 1934-03-31
PYOU.!R CHILDREN
By Olive Roberts Barton

If a child k lIstlcss and
 Iackadalslcnl, check up OD his eyes, nose, throat, ears nnd mouth. So advises Olive Roberts Barton in tIhis ins- portant article in her series
 on Child Training.
 This has been written 50 often go over 1t again.
 present DO case for surgeons and have no wigh to intrudc on the parents business. Such things must be decided in conference be- tween the father, mother and the doctor.
 Suppose l take the attitude of the teacher in school observing six or seven of her pupils who are carrying load of infection that dulls their minds and keeps them behind with their lessons. This seems to be an unconditional and purely professional viewpoint but if other teachers feel as I did in the schoolroom, their hearts will. ache for the poor little stupids who can't breathe properly, let alone | think. or who miss n week every so often with sore throat or colds. Or those who hold their books up to their noses to read. Or those who, after the teacher has put them down as inattentivc for weeks, she suddenly discovers to be half deaf As for the near-slghted. I have discovered over and over again after days and even months z | of perplcxity about wrong numbers or letters being copied from the l blackboard. that il certain little boy or girl couldn't sec half way across the room.
 Unaware of Defects ] Children don't tell us they can't see or can't hear. They seldom get into this state suddenly. They think that Is the way thines are and that everybody is alike. | As for ndenoids, any one with half an eye can recognize their existence. There is pinched look about the nose, n nasal ''stufiing' In speaking. and when very bad. the child has .rayish look ana Is thin.
 Tonslls arc a debatable Ques. ton. Throat specialists today give ] tho matter of their removal earn 1 est thought before taking them ! case. If they can be cured by treatment. 1t ls done. If the ton- slls are chronically infected and are pouring pus Into tho blood stream. this cannot be allowed to | go on, as it saps health and strength and causes illness. Tn this case they are removed 1 If the doctor or the specialist recommends cleaning house it is , not wisc to set up guess work or prejudice against professional opin- 1 ion
 One time 1 reversed the order. Both doctor and specialist thought tho throat infection less serious than I did. In a few months. sec- ing my child decline, and dcvelop- Ing severe headaches tshc already had glasses) said. Operate" 1. was done and the transformation was unbelievable.
 Conduct Affected
 Almost any chronic infection affects conduct because it be- numbs thought. If there is poison sceping into the blood stream, Inc child cannot think clearly. The brain derives its nourlshment from the source of supply--the blood----and will get It's share of any poison contained therein.
 Of course cyc-strain and deaf ness do not usually mean infcc-- ton, although they may. Ears. especially. may be "foci' as well as nose and throat. A chronic catarrh needs attention. Gland awellinEs need attention. Mouth sores need attention. and certain ly bad teeth. or all teeth.
 When the source Of trouble is treated or removed the resulting effect on the chIld's behavior is often remarkable.
 Too many children are ticketad as bad or careless or lazy. who need n doctor rather than Il rod. Tho wisc teacher knows th!s: the thoughtful parent knows lt. For tunatcly there seems 10 be n gen cral awakening in this regard. hut one thing that cannot be repeated too often is that any poison ab- sorbcd into the body will have Il very definite effect on behavior.