The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1944-09-01


his column.
years ago, so years ago, even rs
years ago. ! have been indicating
in the articles this week one phase
of that advance-the prevention OF
those contagious diseases which
once killed their hundreds Of thou
sands of children of school age.
There are other factors which /
shall consider today. l decidedly
believe in regular medical exam
nations for children (although l
have some reservations about an
nual health audits for adults over
forty, which | expressed in an ar
ticle last week). And certainly just
before entering school for the first
time a child is entitled to the bene-
fit of a review Of the bodily eff
cheney with an idea of making such
corrections as are possible in order
to prepare for the very radical
change and demands on the body
and mind that school discipline
entails.
Examination for Child
For the child we need not stress
the examination Of heart, kidneys
and blood pressure, which we
stress for the adult, although the
condition Of these systems may be
noted, and very occasionally a case
of, let US say, unsupported juve-
nile diabetes, which can be radi-
cally improved may be picked up.
The examination of the begin
ming school child should stress
however, the condition Of the eyes,
teeth, tonsils, weight and history
of fatigue.
At the age Of six the permanent
teeth are beginning to come in.
The first permanent tooth to come
in is not like the temporary teeth
in front, but is the first molar
which comes in behind all the tenn
porary teeth. 1t comes in behind
the first and second temporary
,molars and is very, very often
thought by the parents to be one
of the temporary set. The parents
think that because they have three
molars (the grinders at the back
of the jaw the child should also
have them, but the temporary set
of teeth numbers only two molars.
Care of Molar
The care Of this six year molar
Is very important for two reasons
first it is a pillar Of the jaw
structure and regulates the posi-
ton and straightness Of the rest
of the teeth. And, second, because
it is somewhat soft and chalky at
first and very subject to decay and
If it does decay the parents are apt
to say-"Oh, that is just tempo
rary tooth"-and let it go, when
as a matter of fact it needs the
very earliest attention. But for
the sake Of the jaw regularity the
temporary teeth should be re-
paired if they decay, even if they
are temporary.
The tonsil question is one. that
requires wisdom to settle. The
tonsils guard the portals Of the
respiratory system from infection
and in doing so very often get bad
ly infected themselves. II so they
should be removed. But to take
tonsils of all children out without
any indication is a medical fad of
the past, which no longer is popu-
lar.
The child's weight is also a mat
ter that requires judgment as to
just what to do about it. I do not
believe in badgering a child just
because it is underweight Tor over
veight). However if under weight
is accompanied by excessive ia
tigue and especially if there is .
little afternoon fever, a vigorous
search TO eliminate the cause-tu-
berculosis especially or focal in
lection or dietary insuffciency-
should be instituted.