We all apperceive that bistro aliment articles that accommodate constructed additives is not acceptable for our health, abnormally to our skin. It has been said that if you wish to yield acceptable affliction of your well-being, again what you put on your derma can be just as important as what you eat or drink. According to reports, the chemicals we administer to our derma are captivated anon into our bodies. It is estimated that an boilerplate woman absorbs as abundant as two kilograms a year per being from cosmetics and toiletries alone. Cosmetics are aswell becomingly absurdly high-tech, with NASA scientists developing creams and adorableness labs committed to researching circuitous ingredients. These are all admirable for youth-seekers, but sometimes one longs for the simple life, and it’s top time to attending for alternatives. And that’s apparently the acumen why there are a lot of humans that are alive to amoebic derma affliction products.
Organic derma affliction is an breadth of the amoebic movement which has fabricated absolute advance in contempo times, and area previously, there were few options. But now, there is a adequately advanced ambit of admonishment articles accessible out there. Amoebic derma affliction articles are acceptable more accepted due to apropos about chemicals acclimated in abounding products. Studies accept begin that up to 60 percent of creams or composition activated can access the derma and get into the claret stream. Whether or not this causes bloom issues, it has abashed some humans and unsurprisingly, the amoebic bloom and adorableness bazaar is growing rapidly, with sales accretion about 20 percent every year.
In the endure few, years amoebic adorableness articles accept apparent a amazing advance in acceptance and demand, back amoebic derma affliction articles are the ideal advantage for humans who cannot administer chemically added products.
One can acquisition several standards of the chat ‘organic’ as accompanying to derma affliction and bloom products. There are accepted certifying organizations aggravating to set regulations for what constitutes a 100% amoebic product. How does the customer apperceive what amoebic absolutely means? Because we buy organic-labeled derma affliction and bloom products, we automatically expects these appurtenances to be 100% chargeless of constructed and bogus ingredients. But the amazing advance witnessed by the amoebic area in the contempo years has aswell accustomed abundant affairs to some traders to advance and advertise non-organic articles as organic. So, articles marketed as “organic” can still abide of potentially chancy bogus ingredients.
Products labeled as 100% amoebic should not cover constructed capacity at all nor entail the use of bogus articles during the accomplishment process. product. Thus, the bulk of accustomed capacity in cosmetics, and added amoebic derma affliction articles should still be scrutinized.
So, afore arcade for amoebic derma affliction products, do a bit of analysis plan about the brand. Always go for brands that are committed to accommodate affirmed and able skincare articles so that your derma gets alone the best. If we were abashed to ascertain the dangers of abounding substances acclimated in our every day make-up, shampoos and ablution and battery products, why shouldn’t we accord ourselves and our Mother Earth a favor, let’s go organic!
Health experts accept that every year 2.5 actor humans about the apple including 400,000 from America die because of smoking. And apparently millions added ache from smoke-related illness. According to studies, added 3,000 deaths action in America because of lung blight due to inhaling additional duke smoke.
Smoking is affiliated to lung blight which is the arch could cause of blight death. Studies appearance that smoker harms about every agency of the physique causing smokers to accept poor health. Common diseases that may action because of smoker are bronchitis, emphysema, and affection attacks. Smoker is aswell amenable for the accelerated crumbling of skin, decrepit fingers and teeth because of acknowledgment to nicotine.
But why do humans smoke? Humans smoke for assorted reasons. Some smoke because they anticipate it’s cool. Others anticipate that it will accomplish them lose appetence and accordingly lose some weight in the process. Many accept that nicotine assimilation calms the mind.
Majority of smokers apperceive the adverse furnishings of smoker but they just cannot or do not stop. Cigarettes accommodate nicotine which is a actual addictive substance. Nicotine according to studies if taken in baby amounts acts as a stimulant. In aftereffect it may enhance academician action which will be accessible in the cerebral action and aswell enhances one’s memory. Access in affection amount and claret burden are some of its adverse effects. That is apparently the acumen why smokers breathe faster compared to non-smokers. Large amounts of nicotine are acclimated as pesticides.
People who don’t smoke are bigger and convalescent compared to their smoker counterparts because their lungs and added organs are healthier. Aswell non-smokers tend to reside best than those who smoke.
Smokers should try to abdicate smoker for it may abate the achievability of accepting smoking-related illnesses such as lung blight and emphysema. Making anyone to abdicate smoker is consistently easier said than done for it needs discipline, commitment, and sometimes medication.
Scores of “quit-smoking” articles are accessible in the market. They appear in altered varieties and forms—patches, pills, and sprays. Unfortunately they are aswell appealing expensive.
Zyban is a biologic that would advice an alone abdicate smoking. And it is cheaper compared to its adverse parts. Zyban’s ancillary furnishings are about tolerable. Dry mouth, added sweating, headache, nausea, fatigue, and blurred eyes may are some of the furnishings one may appointment while demography this drug.
Zyban is taken orally. Each bolus should be swallowed in full. It should not be ashamed or chewed contrarily the capability of Zyban will be baby and the affairs of side-effect occurrences ability increase.
If Zyban balance occurs, acquaintance the abutting bounded adulteration ascendancy centermost or hospital. Symptoms of balance may cover blurred vision, confusion, nausea, and seizures.
Though there are several “quit-smoking” articles out in the market. One care to apprehend that abandonment smoker and getting acknowledged in that assignment is within. It will depend on the charge and artlessness of the one aggravating to affected this adversity. There is no bewitched “quit-smoking” product.
Pregnant and breastfeeding women are brash to argue their physician afore aggravating Zyban. Bupropion is the all-encompassing name of Zyban.
Licensing Requirements for Dental Assistants vary by state. In some states you don’t even have to be licensed, only show that you have completed a Dental Assistant course of on the job training. If your particular state offers a licensing option, it is to your advantage to obtain licensing as you will have a better chance of being hired over those who aren’t licensed. In general, you can also expect to be paid more than those who are qualified, yet not licensed. There are not Federal Guidelines in regards to Dental Assistant licensing. Everything takes place on the state level.
The Dental Assistant licensing exam is often referred to as DAT, short for Dental Admission Test. The test may be complied of basic information including tools used in dental offices, procedures, safety, and technology. Many states require you to complete procedures you will actually use in a dental office for an examiner. This will likely include showing your skills on safety and proper cleansing of tools.
Most Dental Assistant programs and on the job training programs are well aware of the licensing requirements in your state. The programs are customized to meet all those requirements and help prepare you for both the written and procedural portions of the exam. They can also assist you in finding out when the exam will be conducted in your area.
Regardless if licensing is required in your state or not, not employers require Dental Assistants to complete a background check prior to starting employment. This is for the safety and protection of the patients as well as the staff. If you have a criminal background, it may prevent you from being able to work as a Dental Assistant in some states. In others, you will only be barred if the crime was sexual in nature or violent in nature. Still yet, other states only prevent you from being hired as a Dental Assistant if you have a felony conviction in the past seven years.
If you think your background check will be a factor in gaining employment as a Dental Assistant, it is very important to check into the state requirements prior to enrolling in and completing a program. It is not advised to lie on your application either as almost all dentist offices will conduct a thorough background check on all individuals they are considering offering employment to.
Most Dental Assistant licenses are valid for a certain length of time. Generally three to five years. As your renewal comes due, you will be sent a questionnaire from your State Medical Board. It will ask you questions pertaining to your employment, about any convictions or pending issues that have taken place. Keep in mind that your Dental Assistant license can be revoked if the information you place on the renewal is found to be inaccurate or if you have been involved in criminal activity during the licensing period.
It is very important that you understand Dental Assistant licensing requirements vary greatly from state to state. Therefore, if you are planning to move to another state make sure you can transfer your license to that state. You will be able to if your license is in good standing and the State Dental Board is not investigating any complaints about you. The state you are transferring your license to must have the same level of requirements or less. It the new state requirements are more than you have, then you will need to obtain the missing skills or classes in order to obtain a license.
Licensing as a Dental Assistant can help you have an edge on the completion for that great job you want. It also implies to patients that you are qualified to be working in a dental office and meeting their dental needs. It can also increase your level of pay in some states where licensing is available but not required. You can obtain information about licensing exams in your area from the State Dental Board or you course instructor. The exam is generally written and procedural.
The role of Dental Assistant involves being able to perform a variety of duties. It also requires being detail oriented, alert, and able to react calmly and quickly in emergency situations. A Dental Assistant observes all dental procedures, assisting both Dentists and Dental Hygienists to perform quality procedures for all patients.
While most dental procedures are routine and take place without incident, emergency situations do take place. Eliminating short cuts for procedures and staying alert with the focus on the needs of the patient will help prevent emergencies from occurring. Planning and preparation can help Dental Assistants be able to resolve issues and remedy emergency situations with positive results for all involved.
People have been known to stop breathing during dental procedures or have allergic reactions to local anesthetics. During such a situation, it is vital that Dental Assistants are properly trained in how to assist. It is recommended that Dental Assistants know how to perform CPR. Some dental facilities require monitoring of a patient’s vital signs to help them monitor for any side effects or other issues.
Another incident that can take place in a dental facility is accidentally swallowing something, causing the patient to choke. A patient can choke on dental equipment, tools, extracted teeth, or other materials. Since most procedures are done under anesthesia, the patient may not be able to control reflexes to push the object away from the throat. Dental Assistants must know how to quickly react to prevent serious injury or death from occurring.
Likewise, objects including dental tools, extractions, and other materials might be dropped or ricochet, landing in the eye of a patient. Eye wash stations are generally available in dental facilities. Dental Assistants need to make sure they are familiar with how they work and where they are located in the facility.
On occasion, a patient may suffer from other health issues not related to their dental procedures. These health issues may include a heart attack, stroke, or blood clot. Therefore, it is important for Dental Assistants to be trained in basic medical issues as well as those that relate to dental procedures.
There are other types of emergency situations that can occur in a dental facility that Dental Assistants can help with. In the event of a fire, quickly remove all patients from the building. This needs to be done keeping everyone as calm and comfortable as possible.
During an emergency in the dental facility, patients should not be left alone under any circumstances. Dental Assistants and other staff members have a duty to the patient to administer quality emergency services until the proper medical response team arrives to take over. It is important for the Dental Assistant to be able to inform the medical response team of the changes the patient exhibited as well as documentation of everything that took place prior to the event. This information can help medical response teams pinpoint the issue faster and provide adequate medical care.
Since medical emergencies don’t often occur in dental facilities, is important for staff to have regular meetings and reminders about the proper procedures in the event an emergency does take place. Practice drills are a great way to keep the policies and procedures fresh in the mind of all staff members. It is important to post phone numbers of all emergency agencies in several locations where all staff can easily access the information. However, it is not recommended the information be posted where patients can see it. For those who are already nervous about coming in for a procedure, seeing that information is not going to easy their level of anxiety. Being prepared for such emergencies will make a difference in the outcomes.
Dental Assistants need to address the issue of emergency care at the start of their employment. If no such policies and procedures are in place, encourage your employer to establish them. It only takes one incident of a medical emergency taking place for a dental facility to be sued. If they are found to be negligent it could result in charges being filed or the business having to close down. Protecting your job and the business you work for as well as providing quality procedures for all patients will ensure job security.
Diabetes is the third leading cause of death in the United States. Even more chilling, it is the first leading cause of death for children. The rising rates of obesity in this country have also led to rising rates of type II diabetes (also called adult onset diabetes). Today, one in 12 adults are afflicted with the disease. This means that over 16 million people have the disorder, with 6 million of them walking around undiagnosed and unaware of their sensitive insulin condition.
Type II diabetes is created by increased aging, obesity, poor nutrition, high stress and physical inactivity. All of these conditions can be traced back to one source…high acidity. Over-acid lifestyles and food choices have negative impacts on health, which is shown by the rapidly increasing diabetes rates in the country.
Diabetes is an old disorder. It has been known about for thousands of years and yet it is only today that it has become an epidemic. Part of the problem is that the nature of diabetes is a mystery, even to educated adults. People do not understand what insulin does in the body and how the insulin metabolism affects the health. Even current medical science has some misconceptions about the true nature of the disorder.
For example, many in the medical establishment believe that obesity is the cause of diabetes. However, obesity is a result of increased consumption of complex carbohydrates and simple sugars. The high rate of consumption of these products (which are made from the acidifying foods of sugar and processed wheat) leads to high acidity in the body. The body attempts to deal with the increase of waste acids by using fat to neutralize the acid. The fat is then stored as a safeguard for the cells in the body.
There is also a belief that insulin is needed to regulate blood sugar levels in the bodies. The term “insulin dependent” was created in the 1950s to create the impression that muscle and fat require insulin to take up glucose (the sugars created by eating high carbohydrate and sugary foods). However, current studies show that many different things in the body transport glucose. Cells require glucose for their cell respiration process. The body makes sure that the cells receive that, no matter how much insulin in present.
Insulin resistance, which is a precursor to type II diabetes, is brought on through a highly acidic lifestyle and acidic food choices. It occurs in the liver, muscles and fat cells. Excess caffeine, chocolate, sugar and carbohydrates stimulate these bodily organs and tissues. As the body is stimulated, the cells begin to release their glucose and this leads to the elevated levels of blood sugar that people see when they do blood sugar testing. The body cells are disorganized and the highly acidic state can lead to a host of problems overtime including premature aging, high blood pressure, inhibition of the release of glycogen from the liver, and the inhibition of the burning of fat.
Over stimulation of the bodily tissues through acidic foods can cause a lot of damage, and type II diabetes is just a symptom of an acidic lifestyle. In order to bring the body back into balance, you must include alkalizing green vegetables, green drinks and good fats in your diet. Plant proteins from grains and legumes also help restore the body’s previous homeostasis. The pH miracle diet includes a balanced plan for eating with your body, instead of against it. With the application of the principles of the diet, controlling and preventing diabetes is a simple matter of alkalized eating and living.
The pH miracle diet attempts to control many different conditions in the body, including obesity, through the omission of acidifying foods and behaviors. One of the most surprising inclusions on the list, at least to Westerners, is milk. Dairy products, although a mainstay of the Western diet, are not included in the diets of most of the populations around the world. So what does the rest of the world know that we don’t? Dairy is not necessary for health; from a pH perspective, it is actually harmful to the body.
Many people believe that dairy and milk are essential for bone density and for overall health. However, dairy products have large amounts of protein and fat, which are both acid forming elements. Cow’s milk and products made from cow’s milk produce acid. Goat and sheep milk and cheeses, which have less fat and protein, produce less acid. The only dairy exception is clarified butter that is alkalizing due to the short chain fats within it.
In 2003, the Harvard School of Public Health released an alternative pyramid to the FDA recommendations based on imbalances that the members saw in the original pyramid. Although it did not mention acid and alkaline foods specifically, the pyramid shows a tendency toward alkaline foods. One of the most striking differences between the FDA pyramid and the Harvard pyramid is the inclusion of a dairy serving or calcium supplement 1 time daily. The FDA recommends 2 to 3 servings per day, in addition to dietary supplements.
Dr. Meir Stampfer, a professor in the departments of Epidemiology and Nutrition and the Chair of the Department of Epidemiology at the Harvard School of Public Health, points out in an explanation of the Harvard pyramid that Americans should be eating less dairy products. The body needs calcium, but not at the levels present in the two to three servings recommended by the FDA. Calcium is necessary for normal bone development and maintenance; yet the average adult can get enough calcium from a supplement. The levels of calcium present in 2 to 3 servings of dairy per day can actually be harmful to health. Excess calcium intake may increase the risk for certain cancers and there have been no links between massive amounts of calcium and osteoporosis prevention.
In addition, dairy is far from being a pure food. The dairy industry has worked hard to proliferate the image of cow’s milk being essential and harmless. Consider, however, that fifty years ago the average cow produces 2,000 pounds of milk per year and today cows average 50,000 pounds per year. Drugs, antibiotics, hormones, specialized breeding and forced feeding all up milk production so dairy farmers can produce in mass quantities. All of these additives are part of the milk that people drink everyday.
A growing number of Americans, including those who follow the pH miracle diet, are eliminating dairy from their diet and having fantastic results. In recent studies, milk has been linked to intestinal colic, intestinal irritation, anemia and allergic reactions in infants and children. In children, the main problems were allergy, ear and tonsil infection, asthma, colic and childhood diabetes. The studies showed that adults suffered from heart disease, arthritis, allergy and sinusitis as a result of conventionally produced milk.
Just a quick search on the dangers of dairy can really open your eyes about this “safe” food. Reading the research and seeing the acidic effects of milk and other dairy products make it clear why it is excluded on the pH miracle diet.
The respiration of a pure air is at all times, and under all circumstances, indispensable to the health of the infant. The nursery therefore should be large, well ventilated, in an elevated part of the house, and so situated as to admit a free supply both of air and light. For the same reasons, the room in which the infant sleeps should be large, and the air frequently renewed; for nothing is so prejudicial to its health as sleeping in an impure and heated atmosphere. The practice, therefore, of drawing thick curtains closely round the bed is highly pernicious; they only answer a useful purpose when they defend the infant from any draught of cold air.
The proper time for taking the infant into the open air must, of course, be determined by the season of the year, and the state of the weather. “A delicate infant born late in the autumn will not generally derive advantage from being carried into the open air, in this climate, till the succeeding spring; and if the rooms in which he is kept are large, often changed, and well ventilated, he will not suffer from the confinement, while he will, most probably, escape catarrhal affections, which are so often the consequence of the injudicious exposure of infants to a cold and humid atmosphere.” If, however, the child is strong and healthy, no opportunity should be lost of taking it into the open air at stated periods, experience daily proving that it has the most invigorating and vivifying influence upon the system. Regard, however, must always be had to the state of the weather; and to a damp condition of the atmosphere the infant should never be exposed, as it is one of the most powerful exciting causes of consumptive disease. The nurse-maid, too, should not be allowed to loiter and linger about, thus exposing the infant unnecessarily, and for an undue length of time; this is generally the source of all the evils which accrue from taking the babe into the open air.
It is highly important that a mother should possess such information as will enable her to detect disease at its first appearance, and thus insure for her child timely medical assistance. This knowledge it will not be difficult for her to obtain. She has only to bear in mind what are the indications which constitute health, and she will at once see that all deviations from it must denote the presence of disorder, if not of actual disease. With these changes she must to a certain extent make herself acquainted.
Signs of health.
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The signs of health are to be found, first, in the healthy performance of the various functions of the body; the regular demands made for its supply, neither in excess or deficiency; and a similar regularity in its excretions both in quantity and appearance.
If the figure of the healthy infant is observed, something may be learnt from this. There will be perceived such an universal roundness in all parts of the child’s body, that there is no such thing as an angle to be found in the whole figure; whether the limbs are bent or straight, every line forms a portion of a circle. The limbs will feel firm and solid, and unless they are bent, the joints cannot be discovered.
The tongue, even in health, is always white, but it will be free from sores, the skin cool, the eye bright, the complexion clear, the head cool, and the abdomen not projecting too far, the breathing regular, and without effort.
When awake, the infant will be cheerful and sprightly, and, loving to be played with, will often break out into its merry, happy, laugh; whilst, on the other hand, when asleep, it will appear calm, every feature composed, its countenance displaying an expression of happiness, and frequently, perhaps, lit up with a smile.
Just in proportion as the above appearances are present and entire, health may be said to exist; and just in proportion to their partial or total absence disease will have usurped its place.
We will, however, for the sake of clearness examine the signs of disease as they are manifested separately by the countenance, the gestures, in sleep, in the stools, and by the breathing and cough.
Of the countenance.
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In health the countenance of a thild is expressive of serenity in mind and body; but if the child be unwell, this expression will be changed, and in a manner which, to a certain extent, will indicate what part of the system is at fault.
The brows will be contracted, if there is pain, and its seat is in the head. This is frequently the very first outward sign of any thing being wrong, and will occur at the very onset of disease; if therefore remarked at an early period, and proper remedies used, its notice may prevent one of the most fearful of infantile complaints “Water in the Head.”
If this sign is passed by unheeded, and the above disease be threatened, soon the eyes will become fixed and staring, the head hot, and moved uneasily from side to side upon the pillow, or lie heavily upon the nurse’s arm, the child will start in its sleep, grinding its teeth, and awake alarmed and screaming, its face will be flushed, particularly the cheeks (as if rouged), its hands hot, but feet cold, its bowels obstinately costive, or its motions scanty, dark-coloured, and foul.
If the lips are drawn apart, so as to show the teeth or gums, the seat of the pain is in the belly. This sign, however, will only be present during the actual existence of suffering; if, therefore, there be any doubt whether it exist, press upon the stomach, and watch the eifect on the expression of the countenance.
If the pain arise simply from irritation of the bowels excited from indigestion, it will be temporary, and the sign will go and come just as the spasm may occur, and slight remedial measures will give relief.
If, however, the disease be more serious, and inflammation ensue, this sign will be more constantly present, and soon the countenance will become pale, or sallow and sunken, the child will dread motion, and lie upon its back with the knees bent up to the belly, the tongue will be loaded, and in breathing, while the chest will be seen to heave with more than usual effort, the muscles of the belly will remain perfectly quiescent.
If the nostrils are drawn upwards and in quick motion, pain exists in the chest. This sign, however, will generally be the accompaniment of inflammation of the chest, in which case the countenance will be discoloured, the eyes more or less staring, and the breathing will be difficult and hurried; and if the child’s mode of respiring be watched, the chest will be observed to be unmoved, while the belly quickly heaves with every inspiration.
Convulsions are generally preceded by some changes in the countenance. The upper lip will be drawn up, and is occasionally bluish or livid. Then there may be slight squinting, or a singular rotation of the eye upon its own axis; alternate flushing or paleness of the face; and sudden animation followed by languor.
These signs will sometimes manifest themselves many hours, nay days, before the attack occurs; may be looked upon as premonitory; and if timely noticed, and suitable medical aid resorted to, the occurrence of a fit may be altogether prevented.
The state of the eyes should always be attended to. In health they are clear and bright, but in disease they become dull, and give a heavy appearance to the countenance; though after long continued irritation they will assume a degree of quickness which is very remarkable, and a sort of pearly brightness which is better known from observation than it can be from description.
The direction of the eyes, too, should be regarded, for from this we may learn something. When the infant is first brought to the light, both eyes are scarcely ever directed to the same object: this occurs without any tendency to disease, and merely proves, that regarding one object with both eyes is only an acquired habit. But when the child has come to that age when the eyes are by habit directed to the same object, and afterwards it loses that power, this circumstance alone may be looked upon as a frequent prelude to disease affecting the head.
Of the gestures.
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The gestures of a healthy child are all easy and natural; but in sickness those deviations occur, which alone will often denote the nature of the disease.
Suppose an infant to have acquired the power to support itself, to hold its head erect; let sickness come, its head will droop immediately, and this power will be lost, only to be regained with the return of health; and during the interval every posture and movement will be that of languor.
The little one that has just taught itself to run alone from chair to chair, having two or three teeth pressing upon and irritating the gums, will for a time be completely taken off its feet, and perhaps lie languidly in its cot, or on its nurse’s arm.
The legs being drawn up to the belly, and accompanied by crying, are proofs of disorder and pain in the bowels. Press upon this part, and your pressure will increase the pain. Look to the secretions from the bowels themselves, and by their unhealthy character your suspicions, in reference to the seat of the disorder, are at once confirmed.
The hands of a child in health are rarely carried above its mouth; but let there be any thing wrong about the head and pain present, and the little one’s hands will be constantly raised to the head and face.
Sudden starting when awake, as also during sleep, though it occur from trifling causes, should never be disregarded. It is frequently connected with approaching disorder of the brain. It may forebode a convulsive fit, and such suspicion is confirmed, if you find the thumb of the child drawn in and firmly pressed upon the palm, with the fingers so compressed upon it, that the hand cannot be forced open without difficulty. The same condition will exist in the toes, but not to so great a degree; there may also be a puffy state of the back of the hands and feet, and both foot and wrist bent downwards.
There are other and milder signs threatening convulsions and connected with gesture, which should be regarded: the head being drawn rigidly backwards, an arm fixed firmly to the side, or near to it, as also one of the legs drawn stifly upwards. These signs, as also those enumerated above, are confirmed beyond all doubt, if there be present certain alterations in the usual habits of the child: if the sleep is disturbed, if there be frequent fits of crying, great peevishness of temper, the countenance alternately flushed and pale, sudden animation followed by as sudden a fit of languor, catchings of the breath followed by a long and deep inspiration, all so many premonitory symptoms of an approaching attack.
Of the sleep.
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The sleep of the infant in health is quiet, composed, and refreshing. In very early infancy, when not at the breast, it is for the most part asleep in its cot; and although as the months advance it sleeps less, yet when the hour for repose arrives, the child is no sooner laid down to rest, than it drops off into a quiet, peaceful slumber.
Not so, if ill. Frequently it will be unwilling to be put into its cot at all, and the nurse will be obliged to take the infant in her arms; it will then sleep but for a short time, and in a restless and disturbed manner.
If it suffer pain, however slight, the countenance will indicate it; and, as when awake, so now, if there is any thing wrong about the head, the contraction of the eye-brow and grinding of the teeth will appear; if any thing wrong about the belly, the lips will be drawn apart, showing the teeth or gums, and in both instances there will be great restlessness and frequent startings.
Of the stools.
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In the new-born infant the motions are dark coloured, very much like pitch both in consistence and appearance. The first milk, however, secreted in the mother’s breast, acts as an aperient upon the infant’s bowels, and thus in about four-and-twenty hours it is cleansed away.
From this time, and through the whole of infancy, the stools will be of a lightish yellow colour, the consistence of thin mustard, having little smell, smooth in appearance, and therefore free from lumps or white curded matter, and passed without pain or any considerable quantity of wind. And as long as the child is in health, it will have daily two or three, or even four, of these evacuations. But as it grows older, they will not be quite so frequent; they will become darker in colour, and more solid, though not so much so as in the adult.
Any deviation, then, from the above characters, is of course a sign of something wrong; and as a deranged condition of the bowels is frequently the first indication we have of coming disease, the nurse should daily be directed to watch the evacuations. Their appearance, colour, and the manner in which discharged, are the points principally to be looked to. If the stools have a very curdy appearance, or are too liquid, or green, or dark-coloured, or smell badly, they are unnatural. And in reference to the manner in which they are discharged, it should be borne in mind, that, in a healthy child, the motion is passed with but little wind, and as if squeezed out, but in disease, it will be thrown out with considerable force, which is a sign of great irritation. The number, too, of stools passed within the four-and- twenty hours it is important to note, so that if the child does not have its accustomed relief, (and it must not be forgotten that children, although in perfect health, differ as to the precise number,)
Of the breathing and cough
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The breathing of a child in health is formed of equal inspirations and expirations, and it breathes quietly, regularly, inaudibly, and without effort. But let inflammation of the air-tubes or lungs take place, and the inspiration will become in a few hours so quickened and hurried, and perhaps audible, that the attention has only to be directed to the circumstance to be at once perceived.
Now all changes which occur in the breathing from its healthy standard, however slight the shades of difference may be, it is most important should be noticed early. For many of the complaints in the chest, although very formidable in their character, if only seen early by the medical man, may be arrested in their progress; but otherwise, may be beyond the control of art. A parent, therefore, should make herself familiar with the breathing of her child in health, and she will readily mark any change which may arise.
Whenever a child has the symptoms of a common cold, attended by hoarseness and a rough cough, always look upon it with suspicion, and never neglect seeking a medical opinion. Hoarseness does not usually attend a common cold in the child, and these symptoms may be premonitory of an attack of “croup;” a disease excessively rapid in its progress, and which, from the importance of the parts affected, carrying on, as they do, a function indispensably necessary to life, requires the most prompt and decided treatment.
The following observations of Dr. Cheyne are so strikingly illustrative, and so pertinent to my present purpose, that I cannot refrain inserting them: “In the approach of an attack of croup, which almost always takes place in the evening, probably of a day during which the child has been exposed to the weather, and often after catarrhal symptoms have existed for several days, he may be observed to be excited, in variable spirits, more ready than usual to laugh than to cry, a little flushed, occasionally coughing, the sound of the cough being rough, like that which attends the catarrhal stage of the measles. More generally, however, the patient has been for some time in bed and asleep, before the nature of the disease with which he is threatened is apparent; then, perhaps, without waking, he gives a very unusual cough, well known to any one who has witnessed an attack of the croup; it rings as if the child had coughed through a brazen trumpet; it is truly a tussis clangosa; it penetrates the walls and floor of the apartment, and startles the experienced mother, ‘Oh! I am afraid our child is taking the croup!’ She runs to the nursery, finds her child sleeping softly, and hopes she may be mistaken. But remaining to tend him, before long the ringing cough, a single cough, is repeated again and again; the patient is roused, and then a new symptom is remarked; the sound of his voice is changed; puling, and as if the throat were swelled, it corresponds with the cough,” etc.
How important that a mother should be acquainted with the above signs of one of the most terrific complaints to which childhood is subject; for, if she only send for medical assistance during its first stage, the treatment will be almost invariably successful; whereas, if this “golden opportunity” is lost, this disease will seldom yield to the influence of measures, however wisely chosen or perseveringly employed.