Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1942-07-31
1t Is a Mother.
Duty to Guard
Child's Skin
Supervision of Diet
And Cleanliness
Are Necessary
By Lettuce Lee Street,

BY Lettuce Lee Street,
Seven-year Betty was 4 re-
sponsible, cooperative child. Her
mother was delighted with her lit
tie daughters reliability and her
willingness to learn how to take
care of herself. Betty kept her room
very neat, she bathed herself and
generally behaved like \ grown-up
young lady.
But Betty's mother placed too
much confidence in a child this
young. One afternoon when she was
brushing her little girls hair she
was shocked to see the ground in
dirt around the child's scalp line,
the condition of her ears, and to
note that ugly blackheads had ap-
peared on either side Of Betty's
pretty little nose.
Young children simply cannot re-
member to scrub themselves thor
oughly. nor are their little hands
really capable of expertly using the
small muscles required for delicate
tasks such as washing ears. A
mother should supervise her young
ster's bath hour.
Half-washed faces encourage I'M
slightly complexion disorders, prin-
cipally black heads. Children get
hot while they are playing and the
resulting perspiration is mixed With
considerable amount of good, old
fashioned dirt, rs you know! This
must be removed to insure q smooth,
healthy skin.
Black heads are due also to over
activity Of the glands OF the skin,
and the oiliness that follows clogs
the pores and causes blemishes. Very
few youngsters have oily skins, it is
true, and therefore If your child has
this tendency 1t would be wise for
you to let a doctor check his physi-
cal condition first, and then you
check on your method of feeding
and care.
A regular. healthy life in a serene
house, plenty OF sleep, outdoor air,
proper diet and ample drinking
water, as well as regular habits Of
elimination, are necessary for 4
clear, normal skin.
Foods needed to provide a blem-
ish-free complexion are milk, fresh
fruits and green vegetables, prefer
ably raw. Too many starchy veg
etables and sweets should be avoid
ed as should rich, greasy dishes or
foods that are fried and highly sea-
soned. In between meals snacks
should be luxury your child does
not even know about, and therefore
never expects.
Candy, cookies. popcorn, ice cream
cones, peanuts and all such appetite
stealers impair proper digestion and
make a child reluctant to eat the
necessary foods at regular meal
time. If your youngster becomes
hungry between meals offer him a
glass Of milk. fruit or fruit juice.
This may all seem over-strict to
you. but it makes perfect sense Just
the same. A child's stomach Is a
very delicate organ. If you indulge
your youngsters by allowing them
treats in between meals you are
placing them in a choice position
to develop digestive troubles: you
are hindering healthy physical
growth and encouraging skin trou-
bles. The only time a child should
eat candy and other sweet dencacies
is directly after q meal.
To avoid skin troubles then, keep
your child we'll. and also see to 1t
that his small face is scrubbed
shiningly clean with mild soap and
warm water. followed by a cold rinse
and then thoroughly dried, twice a
day
If serious skin disorders appear
such as eczema or impetigo. do not
ever attempt to cure them yourself
They require the expert medical care
OF capable doctor.