Show Your Baby and Mine By ELDRED BABY DOESN'T ENJOY CHOKING ON Ills HIS BRE BREAKFAST CEREAL There are arc many things we take for tor tors s granted nt d. d One of ol them Is Js that children of an un age to partake of chewable food tood will be able to chew it Jt Another Is that babies old enough to drink milk from a cup will be able to toi manage this without choking Both muscular habits should be automatic but in inmany inmany inmany many cases they arc retarded because of the child's childs general health and nd mus mus- cular tw habits It seems much more commonplace to the parent of a heavy child chUd to ex excuse excuse ox- ox cuse him for not being able to walk Hes afraid she explains or or Hes Hesso so heavy its it's harder for him to get around than a lighter baby Yet a achild's achild's 81 childs child's inability to chew or swallow may maybe be tied firmly to his inability to walk Both conditions are arc dependent upon the general exercise of his muscles mus- mus des les and if It one muscle is backward the others may be too FORCED INACTIVITY There are children so 80 waited upon that hat they have little or no opportunity opportunity unity to exercise themselves They are lifted and carried and wheeled about or else packed into high chairs to o be left leU there Immobile for long hours at a time If the child is fa fat and ond docile he will not rebel at this enforced inactivity He may be quite satisfied to sit In Jn a high chair or be rolled In a carriage Yet his mother i is appalled w when en he holds his food tood in his mouth for tor a h half hour at a B time and makes no cf effort et- et fort ort to to swallow it She is annoyed and if he chokes and splutters splutter when she tries to offer him milk from froma a cup But these thee actions differ In Jn n no noway noway way from tram the timidity he displays display when she holds his hands and encourages encourages encourages ages him to walk In all three situations situs situe- lions he Is aware of ot his muscular in insecurity in- in security and and he cant can't be wheedled Into swallowing food tood that ho feels feel sure will choke him or take steps step which will result in a fall faU or swallow large quantities of fluid uld which end cud in uncomfortable strangling Each o of these activities Is part 0 of a whole se set of condl conditions lons resulting from rom the th childs child's inactivity LET CHILD HELP hELl SELF The way to help him is to give him increased opportunities for building up muscular strength It Is 11 this chile child who should be bo encouraged in every way to feed himself It makes little difference e how much cereal he spills spill on the floor or or oron on his person the ac act of lifting his spoon and directing it to hi his 1 mouth out is 14 definitely helpful to h him n He should be given small portions of liquid to drink by cup cup not by bottIe bottle bottle bot bot- tle tIe until he can negotiate these without without with with- out choking If he does choke the mother has no recourse but to act net as asif asif asit if it this were a matter of no Importance tanco tance whatever If It she pats his back dramatically and sympathizes with him for tor his misfortune he will be bemore bemore bemore this more frightened than ever about happening and more than ever reluctant reluctant re reluctant re- re to repeat the experience This mistype type of child should be put on the floor loor where he can crawl about and learn to balance himself He should be helped as little tittle as possible so 50 that he will vill become becom more adept at helping himself up to crawl or walk and to feed himself all aU activIties activities activities ties which will witt in the end definitely improve his hb control over the automatic automatic automatic auto auto- matic muscular processes of chewing and swallowing Tomorrow Holding Baby's Baby Nose Nan Wont Won Create Desire for far Spinach |