The health-care of the growing child; (1919) (14778171541)

Identifier: healthcareofgro00fisc (find matches)
Title: The health-care of the growing child;
Year: 1919 (1910s)
Authors: Fischer, Louis, 1864- (from old catalog)
Subjects: Child care Children
Publisher: New York and London, Funk & Wagnalls company
Contributing Library: The Library of Congress
Digitizing Sponsor: The Library of Congress



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ture thatmight otherwise improve. Spinal curvatures are usually associatedwith bad chest development. Improper , ( 255 ) HEALTH-CARE OF THE GROWING CHILD breathing and flat-chested children go to-gether. One follows the other. An im-proper development of the chest wall isvisible in the front; so will a curvature ofthe spine, as a rule, be associated withfaultily developed chests. To cure a curvature medicines are use-less. The treatment consists in the devel-opment of the chest wall, and especially ofthe spinal muscles, which can only be ac-complished by gymnastics. Deep breathingexercises, pulley weights, dumb-bells, row-ing, and especially swimming, are samplesof exercises best adapted to develop bothsides of the chest and spine. It is best, however, if a curvature exists,to take the child to a specialist and havehim prescribe the exercises to be followedin a gymnasium. The measurements of thechild should be taken, so that the progressof development can be noted. Spinal curva- (256)
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DISEASES OF THE NEKVOUS SYSTEM tures can be cured unless we are dealingwith bone disease such as tuberculosis ofthe spine. HeadacheWhen a child complains of headache, weshould suspect constipation or stagnationof the intestinal contents. When poisonsfrom the bowels are absorbed into the body,they give rise to violent headache. Suchputrefactive conditions will cause an auto-intoxication. If, however, the bowels areregular and there has been no imprudencein eating, the temperature should be taken.If there is any fever, the child should beput to bed. Headache may mean constipa-tion, but it may also mean the beginning ofan acute infection, like influenza, scarletfever, measles, diphtheria, or typhoid. Italso frequently precedes an ear abscess.Eye-strain is a frequent cause of headachesin schoolchildren. We should always ques- (257) HEALTH-CARE OF THE GROWING CHILD tion the child as to what portion of the headaches, and note if it is over the eyes, andEye-ciasses if it follows reading or s