It is very important that a mother should have such information that will enable her to detect the disease at its first appearance, and thus insure for her child, timely medical care. This knowledge will not be difficult for her to obtain. She has only to think about what are the indications which represents health, and she will at once see that any deviation from it must describe the presence of disorder, if not the actual disease. With these changes, she must to some extent make itself known.
Signs of health.
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The signs of health, are partly in the healthy performance of the various functions in the body; regular demands of its delivery, either for large or defect and a similar rhythm in its excretions both in volume and appearance.
If the number of the healthy infants are observed, something can learn from this. There will be seen such a universal surface in all parts of the body of the child that there is no such thing as an angle that are in whole number, whether the limbs are bent or straight, each line is a part of the circle. Lemmerne will feel firm and solid, and unless they are bent, the joints can not be discovered.
Tongue, even in health, is always white, but it will be free of wounds, skin cool, eye bright complexion clear, cool head and the stomach does not project too far, breathing regularly and without effort.
When awake, the infant will be happy and sprightly, and loving to be played with, will often break out in its merry, happy and laughing, while on the other hand, when they sleep, it will appear calm each row is made up, its appearance to show an expression of joy, and often, perhaps, is lit up with a smile.
It is precisely in proportion as those appearances are present and the whole, health can be said to exist, and only in proportion to their partial or total absence disease will have abused its place.
We will, however, for the sake of clarity investigate signs of disease, as they are manifested separately by the bracket, gesture, to sleep, in the stools, and by breathing and coughing.
Of the appearance.
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In health approval of a thild is expressive with equanimity in the mind and body, but if the child is unwell, this expression will be amended, and in a way that to a certain extent, will indicate which part of the system is at fault.
The browse will be contracted if there is pain, and its headquarters are in the head. This is often the very first outward signs of any thing to be wrong, and will be at the very outbreak of the disease, and if, therefore, noted in an early period and appropriate means are used, its communication can prevent one of the most terrifying of infantile complaints ” Water in the head. “
If this sign is adopted by unnoticed, and the above-mentioned diseases be threatened, soon the eyes will be fixed and in front, the head warm, and moved badly from side to side on the pillow, or lie heavily on the nurse’s arm, the child will start in his sleep, grinding his teeth, and awake worried and screaming, its face will be flushed, especially cheeks (as if rouged), his hands warm, but cold feet, its casings stubbornly costive or its resolution scanty, dark - colored, and errors .
If the lips are pulled out, so to show teeth or gums, the seat of pain in stomach. This sign will only be present during the very existence of suffering, if there be any doubt as to whether it exists, press the stomach, and see eifect on the expression of the appearance.
If pain arises simply from irritation of the intestines happy from indigestion, it will be temporary, and the sign will go and come as seizures can occur, and less remedial measures will give relief.
If the disease is more serious, and inflammation of it, this sign will be more constant presence, and soon the appearance becomes pale, or pale and sunken, the child will dread motion, and lies on his back with knees bent up to the stomach, the tongue will be loaded, and in the weather, while the chest will be seen to heave with more than usual effort, the muscles in the stomach will remain completely inactive.
If the nose is drawn up and is fast moving, pain exists in the chest. This sign, but generally will be accompanied by inflammation of the chest, in which case the appearance will be discoloured, eyes more or less equal, and breathing will be difficult and premature, and if the child’s state of respiring be seen, the breast will be observed to be unmoved, while the stomach quickly moves with each inspiration.
Seizures are generally begins with some changes in the appearance. The upper lip will be produced, and is sometimes bluish or pale. So there may be less squinting, or a single rotation in the eye on its own axis; alternate flushing or pallor of the face, and suddenly animation followed by languor.
These characters will sometimes turn out many hours, nay days before the attack occurs, can be regarded as premonitory, and if timely noticed, and suitable medical aid resorted to, the occurrence of an attack can be completely prevented.
The status of our eyes should always be present. In health they are clear and bright, but the disease they become boring, and give a heavy appearance to appearance, but after long continued irritation they will assume a degree of quickness which is very remarkable, and a kind of pearly brightness, which is better known from observation than it can be from the description.
The direction of the eyes, also should be considered as one of this we can learn something. When the child is first brought to light, both eyes are hardly ever addressed to the same object: this is done without any tendency to disease, and just shows that with regard to one object with both eyes is only an acquired habit. But when the child has come to that age, where the eyes are in the habit addressed to the same object, and then it loses that power, that fact alone may be regarded as a frequent prelude to the disease affecting the head.
Of the gesture.
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The gesture of a healthy child is all easy and natural, but in sickness these differences occur, which alone will often describe the nature of the disease.
Suppose a baby to have acquired the competence to support themselves, to keep their heads upright, let’s disease, its head will hang the same, and that power will be lost, only to be regained with the return of health and in the range of each posture and movements will be to languor.
The small one, who has just learned to run alone from chair to chair, who have two or three teeth press and irritating the gums, will for a time be fully taken into account its feet, and perhaps lie languidly in his bed, or on his nurse’s arm.
The legs are prepared to stomach, and accompanied by tears, is evidence of suffering and pain in the gut. Press this page, and your pressure will increase the pain. See the secretions from the bowels themselves, and by their unhealthy nature of your suspicion regard to the base of the suffering, is at once confirmed.
The hands of a child in health is rarely transported over their mouths, but let there be any thing wrong about the head and pain here, and the little one’s hands will be constantly addressed to the head and face.
Suddenly begins when awake, also asleep, although it appears from harmless reasons, should never be infringed. It is often associated with the approaching disorder in the brain. It may forebode a convulsive fit, and such suspicions are confirmed, if you find the thumb of the child drawn in and strong pressure on the palm, with fingers so compressed to the fact that the page can not be forced open without problems. The same condition will exist in the toes, but not to as great an extent, and there may also be a puffy condition of the back of the hands and feet, and both foot and wrist bent down.
There are other, less severe signs threatening convulsions and connected with the gesture that should be considered: the head dragged rigid backwards, an arm fixed firmly to the side, or near it, as also one of the legs pulled up stifly. These characters, as also mentioned above, are confirmed beyond any doubt, to be present certain changes in the usual habits of the child: if sleep is disturbed, if there are frequent fits of crying, great peevishness of temperament, composure alternately flushed and pale, sudden animation followed by a sudden bout of lethargy, catchings in the weather followed by a long and deep inspiration, all so many premonitory symptoms of an approaching attack.
Of the sleep.
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They sleep in the infant health is calm, composed, and refreshing. In the very early childhood, when not on the chest, it was usually asleep in his bed, and even as the months before it sleeps less, but when the hour of rest arrives, the child is not as soon as laid down to rest Than it drops off in a quiet and peaceful slumber.
Not so, if ill. Often it will be unwilling to be put in his bed at all, and the nurse will be obliged to take the infant in her arms, and it will then sleep, but for a short time, and in a troubled and disturbed manner.
If it is exposed to pain, however small, the appearance will enter it, as when awake, so now if there is any thing wrong about the head, the contraction of the eye-brow and grinding of teeth will appear, if any thing wrong on the stomach , Lips will be deducted from each other, showing teeth or gums, and in both cases, there will be great restlessness and frequent startings.
Of the stools.
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In the newborn child of the resolution is dark colored, very much like to pitch in both texture and appearance. The first milk, however, is excreted in the mother’s breast, acts as a aperient after the child’s intestines, and thus in about twenty-four hours, it is cleaned away.
From this point on, and throughout infancy, the stools will be of a lightish yellow colour, texture, thin mustard, which has little smell, smooth appearance, and therefore free of lumps or white curded matter, and passed without pain or any significant amount of wind. And as long as the child is in health, it will have daily two or three or even four of these evacuation. But as it grows older, they will not be quite as frequently, and they become darker color and more solid, but not so much so that in the adult.
Any deviation, then, from the above characters, is a sign of something wrong, and as a deranged state of the casings are often the first indications we have of future illness, nurse should be directed to day to see the evacuation. Their appearance, colour, and the way discharged, is the points mainly to be looked at. If the stool has a very curdy appearance, or is too liquid, or green, or dark-colored or smell bad, they are unnatural. And with regard to the way they have been settled, it should be recalled that in a healthy child, the proposal is agreed, but little wind, and as if squeezed out, but in the disease, it will be thrown out with great force, which is a sign of great irritation. The number of stools passed within twenty-four hours, it is important to note, as if the child does not have its accustomed relief, (and it must not be forgotten that children, although in perfect health, differ in terms of the exact number,)
Of the breathing and cough
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The breathing of a child in health is formed of equal inspired and expire, and it breathes quietly, regularly, inaudibly, and without difficulty. But let inflammation of the air tubes or lungs take place, and the inspiration will be in a few hours so quickened and premature and perhaps audible to the attention, only to be directed to the fact to be at once perceived.
Now, all changes in respiration from its healthy standard, however slight the nuances of the difference may be, is the most important should be noticed early. For many of the complaints in the chest, although very formidable in their nature, if only seen the beginning of the medical man can be arrested in their progress, but otherwise may be beyond the control of the arts. A parent should make themselves familiar with the breathing of her child in health, and she will immediately notice any change that may occur.
When a child has symptoms of a common cold, attended by hoarseness and a rough cough, always look at it with suspicion, and never neglect to seek a medical opinion. Hæshed not normally participate in a common cold in the child, and these symptoms can be premonitory of an attack of “croup” a disease too early in its development and which, from the importance of the parts affected, exercise, as they do, a function indispensably necessary to life, requires the most prompt and decided treatment.
The following observations of Dr. Cheyne is so astonishing illustrative, and therefore relevant to my present purpose that I can not fail to include them: “In the approach of an attack of croup, which almost always takes place in the evening, probably of a day in which the child has been exposed for weather, and often after catarrhal symptoms have existed for several days, he can be observed to be happy, variable spirits, more ready than usual to laugh than cry, a little flushed, occasional cough, the sound of cough be outraged, like the Taking part in the catarrhal stage of measles. More generally, however, that the patient has been for some time in bed and sleep, before the nature of the disease with which he is threatened, is apparently there, perhaps without waking up, he gives a very unusual cough , Known to any who have experienced an attack of croup, the poor, as if the child had coughed through a bold trumpet, it is really a tussis clangosa; it penetrates into walls and the floor of the apartment, and startles the experienced mother , ‘Oh, I fear for our child take croup! “She runs to the nursery, takes her child to sleep soft, and hope she may be confused. But the remaining trend him, before long the ring cough, a single cough, repeated again and again; patient is roused, and then a new symptom is observed; sound of his voice changed; puling and neck were followed, it corresponds with cough, “etc.
How important that a mother should be aware of the above signs of one of the most fantastic complaints that childhood is the subject if she only send for medical assistance during its first stage, the treatment will be almost always succeed; about this “golden opportunity” lost, this disease will rarely yield to the influence of measures, however, wisely chosen or perseveringly employed.
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