American Red Cross Text-Book on Home Hygiene and Care of the Sick by Isabel McIsaac (best affordable ebook reader txt) 📕
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—The average weight of a baby at birth is from 7 to 7½ lbs. and the average length is about 20 inches, but it is not unusual for a child to weigh anywhere from 5 to 10 pounds at birth and to measure from 16 to 22 inches in length. During the first week of life a baby loses slightly in weight. After the first week a healthy baby should gain from 4 to 8 ounces a week until he is six months old; after that time the weekly gain is less. The weight at birth will usually double during the first five months, and treble during the first year. Consequently, a baby weighing 7 pounds at birth may be expected to weigh 14 pounds when five months old, and 21 pounds when a year old. Weight is one of the most important indications of a baby's condition. He should be weighed every week during the first 6 months, once in two weeks during the second 6 months, and once a month throughout the 2nd year.
—A baby at birth is helpless, and during the first few months he has little muscular control. During the third month he ordinarily begins to lift his head, and he can usually hold it up without support by the time he is 3 months old; when 7 to 8 months old he sits erect and begins to play with toys. From this time a baby makes rapid progress; he attempts to stand on his feet, begins to creep, and by the time he is 14 months old he is usually able to stand alone, or even to walk a few steps. He is usually running about without difficulty when fifteen or sixteen months old.
Babies should never be urged to walk or to bear their weight on their feet. If healthy they are generally eager to go about unaided, and like to investigate their surroundings without assistance. If walking is unusually delayed, a physician should be consulted.
—A new-born baby is unable to distinguish objects, but the eyes are sensitive to light and need careful protection. Hearing, although undeveloped at birth, soon becomes acute; consequently the child should stay in a quiet room. When six or eight weeks old he notices objects, and at three months old he welcomes his mother when he is hungry. A month or two later he begins to distinguish between familiar and unfamiliar faces, and to show approval or disapproval.
—A baby six or seven months old begins consciously to utter sounds, and usually can say a few unconnected words by the time he is a year old. The average child, however, does not begin to form sentences of more than two or three words until he is about two years old.
—The so-called milk teeth are twenty in number; they are followed by thirty-two permanent teeth. The two lower front teeth (central incisors) generally appear when a child is from five to nine months old, and in from one to three months later the four upper front teeth (upper incisors) appear. All the first or milk teeth should have come through by the time a child is two and a half years old, but wide variations occur both in the time and order of appearance and should occasion no uneasiness if the child seems well. Unusual conditions of any sort should be referred to the physician; it is a great mistake to attribute all illness at this time to teething.
The first of the permanent teeth appear when a child is about six years old. Mothers sometimes mistake the first permanent molars for temporary teeth, a mistake that frequently leads to neglect and even extraction of highly important teeth. All but the last four molars, sometimes called wisdom teeth, should be through by the time a child is fifteen. The wisdom teeth may not appear before the 20th or even the 25th year.
—A new-born baby should have one or two bowel movements during the first twenty-four hours; the first bowel movements are sticky and almost black in color. After the baby begins to nurse, three to four movements a day are not unusual, and throughout infancy and childhood as well as adult life there should be one or two evacuations of the bowels daily. The character of the stools is more important than the number. While the baby is taking milk only, the movements should be soft, yellow in color, and nearly odorless. Change in frequency of the movements, or appearance of undigested food or curds of milk in the stool, should be carefully noted and if continued, reported to a physician; they may be the first signs of serious digestive trouble.
The urine of an infant should be odorless and colorless. It should be voided at least once during the first twenty-four hours, and much more frequently after the baby begins to nurse. Marked diminution in the amount of urine should be reported to a doctor.
Efforts should be made early to develop habits of regularity in the evacuation of the bladder and bowels. If taken up regularly most children learn to use a chamber for bowel movements by the time they are three months old. Normal children, if properly trained, usually have no bladder discharge during the night after they are 18 months old, and they learn even earlier to indicate a desire to urinate during the day time.
—The amount and weight of a baby's clothing should depend upon the season; but garments worn next to the skin, except the diaper, should be wholly or partly of wool, the lightest weight in summer and heavier weight in winter. During the first few weeks a baby's abdomen should be supported by a flannel binder about six inches wide, applied snugly but not tightly enough to restrict either the abdomen or chest walls. It may be replaced later by a loosely fitting knitted band worn for warmth only. Such a band is especially necessary if there is tendency to diarrhœa, but in no case should it be discarded before the 18th month. All garments except the diaper and first flannel binder should hang from the shoulders, and should fit loosely but well.
Clothing for babies should be of soft materials and should be simply made. Even the first clothes should not be very long. The weight of very long clothing is an unnecessary burden, and prevents free movements of the legs. At night an entire change of clothing should be made, and a nightgown of warmer material substituted for the petticoat and slip. Most children are dressed too warmly indoors, but in low temperatures they need to be well protected.
Diapers should be soft and absorbent. It may be necessary to wash new diapers several times before using in order to make them soft enough. Care should be taken not to apply them too tightly, or in such a way as to cause pressure on the genitals. They should be changed during the day whenever wet or soiled, and at night when the baby is taken up to be fed. Proper care of diapers is highly important, however laborious. They should be well washed, boiled, and thoroughly dried before they are used a second time. Diapers that have been wet but not soiled should not be dried and used again before being washed. Much work can be saved if pads of loosely woven absorbent material are used inside the diaper to receive discharges. The pads can be burned, but even if washed the labor is less than washing full sized diapers. Like all other infant's garments, diapers should be washed with pure white soap and without starch. Waterproof material used to cover the diaper is almost sure to irritate the baby's skin, and is consequently harmful.
—During his first few weeks a normal baby sleeps about nine-tenths of the time, and should be left undisturbed except for necessary care. He should sleep in a crib, bassinet or basket protected from light and drafts; in no circumstances should a baby sleep in the bed with his mother or any other person. Pillows are unnecessary for babies, and indeed for older children, but if used they should be thin and firm.
The amount of sleep necessary gradually diminishes, but during all the years of growth a child needs more sleep than an adult. The amount of sleep required daily is approximately as follows:
First month 18 to 20 hours Second to sixth month 16 to 18 hours Sixth month to one year 14 to 15 hours One to two years 13 to 14 hours Two to four years 11 to 12 hoursAfter this time a child should sleep at least ten hours out of the twenty-four. During the first year a nap in the middle of the forenoon and another in the afternoon are desirable. A child who is inclined to sleep so long that his nap interferes with his night's sleep, should be waked from his nap, but at the same hour every day. When a child is a year old, one nap during the day is often sufficient, if he is doing well, but the habit of taking a nap at some time during the day should be continued through the fifth year if possible, or even later.
Babies should not be rocked or otherwise coaxed to go to sleep; they should be made comfortable and then left alone. They learn to go to sleep by themselves as soon as they are convinced that sleep is expected of them, and that no unfounded objections on their part will be regarded. Continued inability to sleep normally usually indicates discomfort or poor general condition, and should be taken up with the doctor. Pacifiers and thumb-sucking should not be allowed, since they lead to changes in the shape of the jaw with resulting imperfect adjustment of the teeth. Soothing syrup and like medicines should never be given to a baby; death or permanent injury has resulted from their use. It is impossible to emphasize too strongly the danger of giving them even a single time.
—All that has been said about the importance of fresh air for adults applies with even greater force to infants and children. During his first month especially a baby is susceptible to draughts; nevertheless, the room should be well ventilated and its temperature kept between 68° and 70° F. during the day, and at about 65° F. at night. Even in cold weather the room should be well aired two or three times a day; the baby should be removed to another room while the windows are open. After the baby is three or four months old the windows may be left open at night provided the outside temperature does not fall below freezing. A healthy baby two or three weeks old may be taken out-of-doors for a short time in mild weather; when he is three months old he may be taken out-of-doors even in winter on bright sunny days. The time spent out-of-doors should be gradually increased until the baby stays out the greater part of the day; but he should not be exposed to storms, wind, flying dust, dampness, extremes of temperature, or insects. The eyes should not be covered by veils, but they should be shielded from the direct rays of the sun at all times.
—A baby, in order to thrive, must have suitable food, given at regular intervals. During the first few months of life no other
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