Evening star., 1939-12-30
Emotional
Health Is
Needed
Feeling of Security
Should Be Given to
Child in Infancy
By ANGELO PATRI.


Thanks to the devotion of a gen.
Grafton Of men and women physi-
clans. with special thanks to the late
DR.. Emmet Holt, children are, on
the whole, well cared for physically.
They have the carefully routined
day. the selected diet, the open-air
sleep, the attention of the skilled
children's physician. Few now are
the infants who are physically
neglected. So far, good.
But children are not wholly phys
ical. They have minds. and their
minds have powerful influence
upon the health and growth of the
body. We are not doing all we can
to assure mental health, and its in
separable other side. physical health
in our children at home or in school.
Beginning with the infant, we
should do all we can to let him feel
secure with his family, in his home
This feeling of security is basic to
his healthy growth, both sides of it.
Perhaps showing how that feeling
is cultivated would help.
Speak gently and clearly always to
the child as you turn to him while
he lies in his crib. He feels you
rather than hears you. The slightest
infection of anger. impatience. fear
or doubt in your voice reaches him
and distresses him and robs him of
that feeling of security.
When you handle him be sure of
yourself so that your touch is firm,
sure and steady No fumbling, no
fussing, no haste in your mind or
hands If you would convey to the
child that he is safe with you. He
feels your thought in the touch of
your hand.
Keep your appointments with him
promptly, regularly, according to
schedule. Any break in the expected
events OF his day robs him of his
feeling of sureness and lets doubt
enter. A baby must feel positive
about those who care for him. sure
Of their service and its quality if his
mind is to be, easy and his body
at peace.
Visitors must accept the conditions
Of the nursery. They must keep
their distance. When relatives come
to visit they should remove their
wraps, sit one side for a time until
the baby feels their presence and
has time to adjust himself to it. No
sudden dashes to his crib, no i'm
pulsive embraces, no giant squeezes.
no kisses and no loud noises. That
kind of thing frightens a baby and
costs him his feeling of security.
Remember he is lying helpless on
his back in his crib. He is happy
there because he has found safety,
peace and love. Suddenly his quiet
is broken by a rush, a sudden up
lifting, hard squeeze He is not
sure after that about what may hap
pen, and fear is born in his mind.
Once fear enters the nice balance
of health is tipped bit to the wrong
side, and trouble begins.
We cannot, and would not if we
could, sterilize life for children, but
we can and we should safeguard
them against shocks at the time
when shocks do the most harm, in
infancy. It is possible to make
child happy, to play with him, teach
him to play, to meet people cheer
fully, II we remember to cultivate
healthy, emotional reactions in him,
first by saving him unnecessary
shocks. then by treating him so that
he expects to be happy.
Mr.. Patri has prepared . leafiet
entitled, Self-Measuring Chart"
which teaches . child how to ex-
anime himself and check up on
his behavior. Send for 1t, ad-
dressing your request to Mr..
Angelo Patri, care Of this paper.