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Preventable Diseases of Children: Colic

Colic is often a symptom of some condition which needs attention.

Drugging the baby into insensibility, or making it drunk, will not remove the cause of illness. Colic is often due to constipation, in which case an enema of warm water-with the addition of salt at the rate of a level teaspoonful to the pint-is required followed by one or two teaspoonfuls of castor oil or other gentle laxative medicine.

Or, colic may come from cold hands and feet. Keep a flannel belly band on a "colicky" baby both summer and winter, but don't dope or drug the baby. When it is sick enough to need soothing sirup, it is sick enough to need a doctor. Proper feeding will usually overcome the trouble. In correcting errors in feeding a physician is your best advisor. SYMPTOMS OF COMMUNICABLE DISEASES Mothers, school teachers and other persons in immediate charge of small children should be constantly upon the look-out for symptoms of communicable diseases and other common conditions requiring medical attention. In general, any marked departure from the normal is a danger signal. The most common symptoms of acute contagious diseases are as follows: very red or pale face; red or discharging eyes, ears or nose; unusual dullness or sleepiness; evidences of sore throat; coughing, vomiting or diarrhœal discharges.