Babies - Deformities and Chronic Disorders : Part 2

The Mother and Her Child
By William S. Sadler, M.D., Lena K. Sadler, M.D.

(Page 34 of 41)

The young mother is often very much concerned over the misshapen head of the child as a result of a prolonged labor; and it does seem quite miraculous to see a head, more nearly resembling an egg than anything else, become beautifully round and shapely by the end of two or three days.

Protruding ears may be encouraged to lie more flatly by the wearing of a specialized bonnet at night. When the babies are too young to turn themselves they should be turned first to one side and then the other, while care should always be exercised in properly straightening out a curled under ear or an overlapping ear.

Rheumatism

While we so often regard rheumatism an adult disease, nevertheless, children do suffer its aches and pains as well as the fever which so often attends the inflammatory type. The so-called "growing pains" are often of rheumatic origin.

Diseased tonsils not only are often - very often - the avenue of entry of infectious microorganisms that cause one type of rheumatism, but many forms of valvular heart disease are also directly traceable to these same diseased tonsils. The treatment consists in giving proper attention to the tonsils, even removal if necessary - and if the child is old enough. All other possible causes should be located and removed; the child should have absolute rest in bed with brisk cathartics and a liquid diet (no meat broths). The diet should consist more of alkalinizing foods as shown in the special table in the appendix. Medicinal alkaline are often given when the urine shows a very high acid reaction.

Scurvy

Scurvy, seen in children who subsist on "prepared foods," is manifested by tender legs and swollen gums which have a tendency to bleed easily. Pallor, loss of appetite, and insomnia accompany the condition. The treatment of scurvy is change of diet from "patent foods" to fresh cow's milk, with the addition of orange juice, daily. In older children the food must be very nutritious; out of door life, salt glows, friction baths, and the taking of large amounts of fats are all essential to the cure.

Adenitis - Enlarged Glands

Enlarged glands, or what our grandmothers used to call "kernels" in the throat are often the result of inflammation in the mouth or throat, and occur in connection with many of the childhood diseases, notably diphtheria, scarlet fever, and scarlet fever.

Glands appearing in the back of the neck may be occasioned by pediculli (lice), ring worm, or eczema, while those seen in the neck just back and below the ears may come from mastoiditis (inflammation of the middle ear) or adenoids.

Glands felt under the arm enlarge because of trouble or infection in the breast, hand, or arm; while glands in the groin are usually due to some infection of the feet, legs, or abdomen.

These glands usually disappear when the general health and well-being of the child is improved by:

1. Outdoor life. 2. Morning dry-friction rub to the skin. 3. Good liberal diet, including plenty of fats. 4. No feeding between meals. 5. The salt glow and general tonic treatment. 6. The oil rub at night.

Rickets

Rickets (a disease of the bones) often follows in the wake of faulty feeding and unhygienic surroundings. The bones lack a proper amount of lime salts and other elements. Development in general, especially that of the bones, is greatly interfered with.

Bowlegs, prominent square brow, enlarged perspiring head, weakness, and often tenderness of the flesh, are notable signs of the disease. The treatment varies little from that of scurvy, and will be provided in detail by the attending physician.

Malaria

Children often suffer from malarial parasites. Sudden rise of fever on regular days (sometimes daily, every two days or every three days) should demand a careful medical examination including the examination of the blood where the offending organism is seen in the red blood cells. We recently saw a little girl who happened to have an earache and was about to be operated on for ear trouble, when examination of the blood revealed the fact that she was suffering from malaria.

Tuberculosis

In the routine examination of adult patients, the X ray observations of the lungs often reveal deposits of lime salts which tell the story of a successful fight against tuberculosis. And while it may seem surprising, we believe beyond a doubt that most of us have had some varying degree of tuberculosis while young - the unrecognized battle has been fought - and these small monuments of lime salts alone remain to tell the interesting story.

The pity of it is that whole armies of little folks fall in this struggle against disease, for it is one of the common and fatal diseases of childhood. Fresh-air schools, playgrounds, and free school lunches are saving hundreds of children from the ravages of this disease each year.

Tuberculosis is strictly a house disease, hence the little tubercular patient must seek outdoor life. All avoidable exposure to the disease must be denounced, and public sentiment must continue to be aroused to the hygienic betterment of the tenement districts and basement homes. The sanitary drinking cup and the bubble fountain must be encouraged, as must also the proper ventilation of all places where crowds assemble, be it the schoolroom, the theater, or the church.

Syphilis

While tuberculosis is known as the "great white plague," syphilis and gonorrhea constitute the "great black plague," which seen in the little folks is pitiable indeed, leading us to realize that surely "the children's teeth have been set on edge" because of the careless eating of sour grapes by the parents. Syphilitic parents who have not been properly treated, should think many times before they take upon themselves the awful responsibility of bringing into the world a tainted child. Proper mercurial treatment should be instituted at once not only for the child but also in the case of both parents.

About the Author

Dr. William S. Sadler M.D. was a well-known American psychiatrist and college teacher in the school of medicine at the University of Chicago. For over sixty years he practiced his profession in Chicago, thirty-three years being associated in practice with his wife, Dr Lena Kellogg Sadler. The doctors were pioneers in the research on the mysterious Urantia Papers.