Mother's Remedies Part 161

You should always be suspicious if your baby has no teeth at the end of the first year. A hearty baby should have six or eight, and if the soft spot in the head just above the forehead is as much open as it was for months previously you should be doubly suspicious. This soft spot should be closed in a well-nourished infant between the fifteenth and twentieth months. If in addition to this the child sweats about the head whenever it sleeps, cries whenever it is handled (unless it has scurvy or rheumatism) and does not like to play, the indications of rickets are very nearly conclusive. Rickets is a const.i.tutional disease showing itself in different ways.

At what age does it usually occur? Between six months and two and one-half years.

What are the causes of rickets? Improper food, or inability to absorb the food, unhygienic conditions. Nursing babies who have a healthy mother are not troubled with this disease unless she nurses too long into the second year. Starchy foods, too little milk or other animal food, taking the infant to the family table and allowing it to eat whatever it wants, these are the most common errors in baby feeding which very often result in rickets. Babies who are brought up on condensed milk, or other foods that contain little fat are likely to have rickets. Insufficient clothing, damp and badly ventilated buildings, a lack of out-door air and sunshine, and inherited const.i.tutional weakness, are other causes.

When do the most marked symptoms usually occur? Between the sixth or fifteenth months.

What are the symptoms? Such children are likely to be nervous and irritable; child's head sweats profusely at night, so much so that the pillows are very wet. The chest is poorly shaped and frequently has depressions at the sides, and little nodules or "beads" in the ribs where the ribs and breast-bone join. The child's head is also peculiar. It is often very flat on the top and measures more around than a normal child at the same age. The forehead stands out and the sides and top are flattened.

The soft spot in the skull is large and late in closing. He is late in cutting his teeth. His abdomen is generally large and prominent, pot belly; his muscles are soft and flabby, and his wrists and ankles are enlarged a little later. He takes cold easily. He is pale and anemic, although he may be plump and fat, and when he begins to walk his legs bend easily, and he will have bow-legs. When he sits, his back will look as if curved and this alarms his parents, who may think his spine is diseased.

Is such a disease curable? Yes, if taken in time; you can arrest its progress.

Do they ever die of rickets? Very seldom, but they do not stand other diseases very well.

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When and what shall I do for it? If you recognize the condition, have the baby attended to immediately by a physician. The food should be changed--such children require fats; very little starchy or sweet foods allowed. A baby ten to twelve months old can suck a piece of boiled bacon for a few minutes every day. Fruit juices can be given early, raw meat juice once a day. Give him his tub bath daily, and if he is apt to take cold easily he should have a little cold water dashed over his chest and spine, followed by a gentle brisk rubbing to start up the circulation. Sun baths are beneficial. Place the baby directly in the sun with his back to it, for an hour every day. Give him plenty of air and sunshine, both indoors and outdoors.

Medicine.--Cod liver oil is an excellent remedy with the hypophosphites.

Cod liver oil alone with calcarea phosphoric.u.m 3X (homeopathic) is splendid treatment also. The whole treatment must be continued for months--calcarea phos. four times daily.

SCURVY.--This disease is sometimes seen in infants. It attacks infants who have been fed for a long time on a proprietary food or else on milk that has been over sterilized. Nursing children seldom have it, or those who have been properly fed on modified cows' milk. Babies who are delicate and poorly nourished are more subject to it. The first symptoms a mother notices is that it seems to hurt very much when his legs are touched; sometimes both hurt, and then again only one is painful; at other times the arms will be most painful and again both arms and legs seem to pain alike. So it goes on; the joints enlarge somewhat and sometimes little red spots appear just under the skin and very often the gums will become red and spongy; this is especially noticeable around the incisor teeth of the upper gums, if they have already appeared. Rheumatism is very rarely seen so early and with that, there is generally fever.

Treatment.--A cure is soon affected. Stop the patent food at once, or if the milk has been sterilized, it must be discontinued and the baby put on unsterilized milk diluted to the proper strength for his special age.

Strained juice of an orange should be given him every day; if under six months he can have the juice of one-half an orange; over that the juice of one orange. This is given in intervals during the day. Beef juice is good, about two ounces in twenty-four hours. Smaller amount if necessary.

Improvement is noticed twenty-four to forty-eight hours after treatment.

MALNUTRITION. (Marasmus).--Marasmus is a term applied to infants who grow thinner and thinner. No matter how much or little they eat there is a constant wasting or fading away of the body.

What are the causes? Syphilis, tuberculosis, chronic vomiting, persistent loose bowels, poor a.s.similation of the food. Marasmus is really a later and more severe form of malnutrition.

Symptoms.--He looks shriveled, the skin is dry, eyes are sunken, anemia is marked, the belly is much distended, while the other parts of the body seem to be all bones and no flesh; he is constantly whining and fretful, has a tired and anxious expression most of the time; under six months it is hard to cure.

Treatment.--A physician is needed to watch over and prescribe, no set rule can be given. Sometimes cod-liver oil or iron is needed. It needs constant care and watching to cure this trouble.

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CONVULSIONS.--Young children are more subject to convulsions than older people. Convulsions may be due to brain trouble, but an overloaded stomach is the first thing a doctor thinks of, and so the mother should remember what was eaten that might be unusual.

First Thing for the Mother to do? Undress the baby and put him to bed in a quiet room, and place an ice bag on his head, or wring cloths out of ice water or very cold water and place them on baby's head, and change often to keep them cold. Warm the feet with a hot water bag. If the doctor can not be present soon, give baby a mustard foot bath in bed; use two tablespoonfuls to a gallon of water, some advise stronger. If the convulsions are severe wring towels out of mustard water and place a rubber sheet on the bed and wrap the child's body and feet in the hot wet towels until the parts are quite red, and afterward cover the body with warm flannels. Have plenty of hot water ready, so the doctor can give a full tub bath when he comes, if he thinks it necessary. If the child can swallow, give him a teaspoonful of castor oil; or if the convulsions continue, wash out the bowels or give an injection as soon as possible.

When is a hot bath needed and useful? If the convulsions have continued until the pulse is weak, the face is very pale, the nails and lips blue, the feet and hands cold: it will do good by bringing the blood to the surface and relieve the brain, heart and lungs.

How shall I give it? Use a thermometer to see that the temperature of the water is not over 106 degrees F.; if no thermometer is handy put your arm into the water to your elbow. It should feel warm, but not so hot as to be uncomfortable. Put one-half teacupful of powdered mustard in the tub.

Place the baby in the tub, body all covered, and hold the head out of the water; keep him in the bath for five to ten minutes; wrap him in a blanket and put into bed without drying.

The following is given to prevent convulsions:--

Bromide of Potash 1/2 dram Chloral Hydrate 15 grains Simple Syrup 2 ounces Mix thoroughly.

Give one teaspoonful every hour, while the baby is nervous or feverish.

For one-year-old child.

MOTHERS' REMEDIES.--1. Convulsions, a Grandmother's Remedy for.--"Dip the feet and limbs in warm water; give dry salt in mouth." Care should be taken not to give too much salt as you may choke the child. Also apply cold cloths to the head, to draw the blood from the brain.

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2. Convulsions, Hot Mustard Water for.--"Put patient in tub of hot mustard water, with cold cloths to the head," The hot mustard water draws the blood from the head to the feet and the cold cloths a.s.sist in doing good by keeping the blood away from the head. This is, an old, tried and effective remedy,

3. Convulsions, Old Tried Remedy for.--"Put patient in hot bath; give castor oil and rub vigorously." The castor oil does good in cases where the bowels are too loose or constipated, as the case may be, by carrying off the impurities, and the hot bath equalizes the circulation, relieving the convulsion.

4. Convulsions, A New York Mother's Remedy for.--"Chloroform one-half dram, tincture of cardamom, one-half ounce, spearmint water, two and one-half ounces. Shake well and give one-half teaspoonful in water to child one year old, smaller children a proportionate dose." The chloroform is very quieting, and the tincture of cardamom and spearmint act on the bowels. This combination will quiet the child, and in that way relieve the trouble.

(See "Convulsions" in General Department for Mothers' Remedies).

INFLAMMATION OF THE BRAIN.

What are the early symptoms of brain diseases? Temperature is usually very high, 104 degrees F. and over. There is stupor or delirium, and vomiting is common; light hurts the eyes; the child jumps and starts at the slightest noise, unless the hearing is affected. There is often a squint, the eyes may be turned upward, and the lids may be only half closed during sleep. The pupils are dilated or contracted, Sometimes one pupil is larger than natural, while the other is smaller.

What can I do for these symptoms? Cold to the head, either by ice bags or cold water cloths. The room should be dark and quiet. No food given unless ordered, and then bland and very little at a time. A doctor should always be called for such symptoms; castor oil to move the bowels should be given or an enema of soap-suds and water. This helps to draw the blood from the brain, also keep the feet warm and head cool.

SCALD HEAD (in Babies) Milk Crust.--This is often due to neglect in regularly removing the free secretion, or due sometimes to an inflammation of the little sebaceous follicles of the skin. It occurs on the scalp most. The hair should be cut short, and soften the crusts with warm olive oil, or vaselin may be left on the scalp over night, then wash off the crusts with warm water and castile soap. An ointment can be made of vaselin or cold cream, and two per cent resorcin, and applied after the crust is resumed. Spread on linen and hold it in place by a thin cap, wash this off every day with olive oil and apply the salve fresh. Water should not be used oftener than once a week--oxide of zinc ointment is also good.

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MOTHERS' REMEDIES.--l. Cleaning Baby's Head, Common Lard for.--"Nothing is better than common lard. Grease the head good at night, using plenty of lard, especially if very heavily coated. Let stand over night, the lard softens the coating so you can take a fine comb and remove it. Comb from the forehead back. You need never have any scale on the baby's head." Care should be taken in using a fine comb, as it will very often make a child's head very sore.

2. Scald Head, An Experienced Mother's Remedy for.--

"Boracic acid 2 drams Salol 2 drams Balsam Peru 1 dram Carbolic acid 20 drops Vaselin 1 ounce Lanoline 1 ounce Mix."

Then wash the head thoroughly with castile soap, and apply the above morning and night, and use internally the following:--

Iodide Potash 192 grains Fluid Extract Stillingia 1 ounce Fluid Ext. p.r.i.c.kly Ash Bark 1/2 ounce Fluid Ext. Yellow Dock 1 ounce Compound Syrup Sarsaparilla, q. s 8 ounces Mix."

Take about one-half teaspoonful from two to four times a day, according to the age of the child. If this treatment is kept up faithfully, you will be sure to obtain a cure.