KEEPING YOUR BABY WELL IN SUMMER
Notice that I say keeping him well. There was a time when we looked upon the scourge, variously known as “summer complaint,” “summer diarrhea” and “cholera infantum” as a seasonal visitation that was to be accepted with resignation. But happily those dark days are past, for though the condition itself is a complicated one, the one big factor in its causation was dirty milk—milk that was infected or spoiled or both—given to a baby whose forces were lowered by the heat.
It is perfectly clear, then, isn’t it, that a baby is no more likely to be ill during the summer than at any other time, if he is given proper care, the kind of care that we have been going over in detail? Each of these details is important but just bear in mind that during warm weather it is particularly urgent to:
1. Feed the baby properly. 2. Keep him clean. 3. Keep him cool. 4. Keep him quiet.
The end and aim of these precautions is to prevent disturbance of the baby’s digestion. As babies suffer from the heat more than adults do and are often excessively irritated and exhausted on warm days, these results of the heat are sometimes enough to upset his digestion unless he is safeguarded with greatest care.
It is much the same as with grown people, who often find that their digestions are upset solely by their being tired or excited.
The baby should have maternal nursing if possible, during the summer, for breast-fed babies fall victim to summer complaint much less frequently than de bottle babies. Quite evidently, then, you should regulate your own life with even more care than usual—for the baby’s sake. He should be fed with absolute regularity, and as a rule, no matter what the nature of his food, it should be reduced one quarter to one third in amount when the days are very hot, and he should have an increased amount of cool, boiled water to drink. His weight may increase only slightly, or even stand still for a short time, as a result of his decreased food, but you need not worry about this if he keeps well, for the important thing is to avoid digestive disturbances. It is just the same as with grown people who are advised to eat less and lighter food than usual, while the weather is very warm, in order to keep well.
Cleanliness, as at other times, applies to the baby’s food, clothing and surroundings. Many doctors think it safer to have all milk boiled during the summer, and of course expect scrupulous cleanliness in its preparation and administration.
The baby’s soiled napkins should be placed immediately in a covered receptacle containing water, or a disinfecting solution and not left for even a moment where they may be reached by flies. They should be washed, boiled and dried in the open air and sunshine as promptly as possible.
The baby should be protected from flies and mosquitoes by screens in the windows and netting over his crib and carriage, both because these insects make him restless and irritable and because flies, particularly, are carriers of filth and disease—the kind of disease that kills so many babies during the summer. Accordingly, you should regard dies with deadly fear.
The baby should be kept away from dusty places and from cats and dogs. And since he will put his fingers into his mouth, in spite of you, it is a wise precaution to wash his hands several times a day.
The baby should be in the country, in the mountains or at the seashore, if possible during the warmest part of the summer at least, but if he is in town there is much that you can do to keep him cool and comfortable. His clothing at this season must be adjusted to his condition and the temperature of the moment just as it is in cold weather. A thin shirt, band, diaper and cotton slip will usually be enough for out-of-door wear, while in the house he may often dispense with the slip, and sometimes with everything but his diaper.
It is usually best to take the baby out of doors early in the morning and late in the afternoon, but to keep him indoors during the warmest part of the day, when it is likely to be cooler inside than out, particularly if the blinds are closed.
During excessively hot days, the baby will usually be more comfortable if he has two or three cool sponge baths, in addition to the soap and water bath, one of the sponges being given just before he is put to bed for the night. He should sleep on a firm mattress, preferably curled hair but never feathers, and in the coolest, best ventilated room available.
He must not be played with, held on hot laps nor subjected to the entertainment and attention which well-meaning but misguided mothers and friends are so eager to lavish on a hot, fretful baby.
Prickly Heat. Very often during warm weather a fine rash, known as “prickly heat” or heat rash, appears on the back of the baby’s neck and spreads over his head, neck, chest and shoulders. As this rash is due to too warm clothing or to the hot weather or to both, less clothing and frequent baths will often give relief. If the baby is very uncomfortable he may he greatly soothed by being immersed, for two to four minutes in baths, at the temperature he is accustomed to, containing soda, bran or starch in the following proportions:
Soda Bath. Two tablespoonfuls of baking soda to one gallon of water.
Bran Bath. A cheesecloth bag about six inches square, partly filled with bran, is soaked and squeezed in the bath until the water is milky.
Starch Bath. About a cupful of cooked laundry starch to one gallon of water.
The baby should be placed in the tub as for his daily bath and his entire body submerged, as shown in Fig. [60], care being taken that his ears are above the surface of the water.
No soap should be used while the baby has prickly heat and after the bath he should be patted thoroughly dry and powdered with some such soothing powder as the following:
| Powdered starch | one ounce |
| Oxid of zinc | one ounce |
| Boracic acid powder | 60 grains |
Fig. 60.—Method of holding the baby in the tub to keep all but his head covered, in giving a bran, starch, soda or mustard bath.
Diarrhea. If your baby has an increase in the number of his movements, or if they become watery in character, something is wrong. It may be only a mild disturbance or it may be the beginning of an attack of summer diarrhea, and as at first you cannot possibly tell which it is, you must not take it lightly. Notify your doctor at once, but if you are remotely situated or he is delayed in communicating with you, there are certain helpful things that you can do for the baby while waiting for the doctor. The first is to give an enema of half a pint of water, at 110° F., containing ½ teaspoonful of salt. (See Fig. [64], page [217], for method of giving enema.) If the baby seems to have only a slight diarrhea it may be enough to reduce his food one half, whether he is breast-fed or bottle-fed, and to give him an abundance of cool boiled water to drink. If he is bottle-fed it is a wise precaution to make up his formula with skimmed milk and leave out the sugar.
Fig. 61.—Putting the baby into a wet pack.
If the baby has frequent loose movements; seems feverish; vomits and cries as though he had pain, stop all food and give nothing by mouth but water, until the doctor comes.
If you care for your baby, yourself, through an attack of summer complaint you will find that the doctor’s instructions are directed toward keeping the baby cool, clean and quiet, while he, himself, gives very careful attention to the question of feeding.
It is clear, then, that the baby should be lightly clad and kept quiet and undisturbed, in a cool shady place, out of doors as much as possible. During the warmest part of the day, however, he will often he better off in the house, in a room with the shutters closed. But while keeping the baby cool, you must bear in mind the harm that may be done by chilling him or exposing him to a cold draft or wind. The doctor may want him to have several baths daily, possibly tub baths, at a temperature of 100° F., or cool sponge baths. Packs, also, are given, for they not only cool the baby but quiet him as well, if he is restless. These packs may be cool (80° F.); tepid (100° F.) or hot (105° to 108° F.) according to the baby’s needs.
Fig. 62.—The baby in a wet pack with a hot water bag at his feet and cold compress on his head.
It is a simple matter to give a pack and you will enjoy doing it for you will actually see that your baby will grow quieter and more comfortable as you give it. Cover the bed with a rubber and sheet and bring to the bedside a basin containing a sheet wrung from water of the specified temperature; a basin containing ice and compresses for the baby’s head and a flannel covered hot water bottle at 125° F., for his feet. The baby is laid on the upper half of the folded wet sheet, and an upper corner wrapped about each arm, as in Fig. [61], and the sides folded around his legs. The lower half is brought up between his feet and used to cover his entire body, being tucked around his shoulders. The hot water bottle is placed at his feet and an ice compress on his head, as in Fig. [62]. If the sheets are wrung from warm or hot water, the baby is covered with a blanket after he is put into the pack.
Fig. 63.—Diagrams shoving the successive steps in putting the baby
in a pack.
Should your baby have summer complaint, remember that even a mild attack predisposes to another and you will have to be even more watchful and painstaking than ever, in your care of him. He will have to return to his customary diet very slowly, or he may not be able to take his usual amount of nourishment at all until the weather turns cool. Even though he gains no weight it is important to avoid taxing his digestion since it is already being threatened by the heat.