Establishing the Health of the Child by Maria L. Edwards, M.D.

Pacific Press Publishing Association · Mountain View, California · Oct 13, 1909

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 36, No. 40.

Establishing the Health of the Child

By Maria L. Edwards, M.D.

II. Diet

By Maria L. Edwards, M.D.

If we desire to lay the foundation of a strong and useful life for the child that is entrusted to us, its early care and early habits are exceedingly important, for a right habit once formed is like a nail driven in a sure place.

We will consider somewhat in detail the various phases of the child’s life that enter into the establishing of its health.

The feeding of the child is one of the first considerations as well as one of the most important factors in the rearing of the child. Under normal, right conditions, no food is so suitable as its own mother’s milk; and that being so, it should be the ambition of every mother to furnish that best means of sustenance. If for any reason that is impossible, the service of a wet nurse is next most desirable; and where that means is not available, the “modified or humanized cow’s milk,” which resembles most nearly mother’s milk, and can be easily obtained or prepared, is usually third best. When a child is doing well, it is not wise to make changes in its food; but if it does not gain weight as it should during the first few months, and acts hungry after having been fed, it is reasonable to suspect that the food it is taking does not give it sufficient nourishment. The proper, regular intervals for feeding should be promptly observed, and then sufficient food should be taken to last until the next feeding—even if it is necessary to keep the little fellow from dropping to sleep before such an amount is taken.

I am tempted to speak quite at length upon what may be termed the “moral phase of the feeding question,” because in early childhood is when the perversion of appetite begins, and the foundation may be laid for a life of gluttony and even drunkenness. Appetite—or the ability to enjoy the food that has been prepared for our bodies — is one of the many blessings from the Creator; but when the appetite is perverted and self-control is lost, it becomes one of the greatest curses. Think for a moment! If there were self-control on the part of every one, in the matter of appetite, there could be no such thing as a drunkard. Slavery to appetite is the one overwhelming cause of intemperance, and the seeds of intemperance are therefore being sown wherever appetite is given the rule.

Parents, not willingly, but thoughtlessly, start the child on the wrong road: first, by feeding the baby if he cries or fusses, instead of searching for the real cause of his discomfort—possibly the little fellow is only asking for a drink of water, or to be turned over; secondly, feeding him when it is for the mother’s convenience to put him to sleep out of the way—just feed him and it is accomplished; third, as the child grows older, “giving something to eat,” as the great cure-all, and still later hiring him with candy, cookies, or something worse, to do the little tasks about the home that he should be taught to do as his part of the family responsibility. If he is sick, something sweet or unusual is urged upon him. He is allowed always to have everything in sight that he wants, even to tea, coffee, pickles; and allowed to choose his own diet from the time he is able to point to the thing he wants and brush aside the thing he happens not to want. Add to this the taking of food, candy, or fruit, any time or all the time, as may suit the fancy of the child, as many are permitted to do, and we have a picture not at all overdrawn, for it is repeated in the early lives of many children. Mothers have even acknowledged, “I do not know what I would do with him if he did not have cookies all the time.” Is it any wonder, then, that after having been early and thoroughly taught that satisfying the appetite is the remedy for almost everything, later in life he has no power to control an appetite that is demanding things that are harmful?

On the other hand, if a baby is fed only his liquid diet, and not allowed to taste of other things, he will sit with the family circle at meal-time, content with his playthings, and never mistrust that the happy circle are eating.

The greatest trouble right here is for the members of the family to withstand the temptation to feed the child everything they are eating. But it is far better for him to stick to his natural food until old enough, as indicated by the teeth that have developed, to take solid food, or until the time for weaning draws near. There can then be added gradually to his diet milk, zwieback, gluten gruel, mild fruit, flaked foods, and later, baked potatoes. The child who has never been urged to taste of everything, is perfectly satisfied with his simple food at regular intervals; and best of all, he is developing a strong digestive power for future life.

[The next article on the Health of the Child will appear in our issue of October 27.]