Medford mail tribune., February 16, 1958, Image 54

Restricting his activities needn't b. ordeol for the sick child and his mother.
by Jerry Klein
Even with vaccines and vitamins, Winter is the
season of coughs, running noses, and days
in bed for the small fry. And mothers have
the problem of keeping Johnny from feeling that
being bedridden is like being in jail, while at the
same time preventing him from infecting the other
How
to Keep
Smal I
Fry
Happy
in
members of the family.
Nothing can possibly make illness a pleasure for
parent or child, but planning can ease the whole
family over the rough spots:
1. How much activity? The doctor, of course, will
give instructions on the medical regimen and special
care, but parents can avoid needlessly restricting
the child's play by inquiring about ordinary activity,
too. How many hours of sleep are necessary?
Should the child sit up? Can he get out of bed for
brief periods? How much contact is permitted with
other children? Is reading or watching television
all right, or should shades be drawn and the room
kept in half-light?
2. Spending more time with the child. When a child
is ill or convalescing, he needs comforting and re
assurance more than ever. In addition, he is less
capable of amusing himself. This does not mean,
however, that a parent should devote all day to the
child. The attention span of a sick child is shorter
than normal one short story or a few pages from
a book is enough at one time.
A child confined to bed often is content merely to
know that Mother is nearby. Routine household
tasks done within sight of his bed are comforting.
3. A routine is voluable.When a child is ill, he is
less capable than ever of judgirg his strength. A
formal schedule will provide for medicine and rest
when he needs it, avoiding overstimulation or
fatigue. An hour-by-hour written schedule which
he himself helps plan may be fun for the child, too.
And when nap time arrives, there can be no com
plaintit's written right there on the paper!
4. Encourage easy play. With a sick child, the
normal aim of play is exactly reversed. Instead of
encouraging him to invent, be creative, or par
ticipate, the goal is merely to get him through the
day without too much restlessness so he will re
cover his strength. Therefore, easy games and toys
requiring little effort should be chosen.
5. Make a game of food. Since young patients
generally are fussy about what they eat or dis
interested in food altogether, meals should be made
part of the fun. Unless the doctor has provided a
special diet, there's little reason why the child
shouldn't have his favorite dishes every meal and
even a double dessert (portions needn't be large).
Whatever you serve can be made more interesting
by an imaginative touch. It's easy, for instance, to
cut toast into strips or odd geometrical patterns
with a knife or cookie cutter, and a story can- be
- made up around every dish.
Of course, meals for the sick room also pose a
problem in hygiene for the family. Dishes used by
a sick child may be boiled to prevent infecting
others; but since sterilization is time-consuming,
many families use disposable paper service. Paper
cups, plates, and place mats are inexpensive, and
they add a cheerful note to a sick-room tray.
Every meal can have its element of surprise. It
. doesn't really take much: an orange dotted with
raisins and topped by a paper cup becomes a clown,
for instance. Or a child's paper hat can be made by
simply cutting the brim or visor from a paper
plate, taping it to a paper cup to form the crown,
and adding an elastic band.
With a bit of imagination, affection, and planning,
a minor illness or convalescence can be made to
pass quickly and your child may even look back
on it as a pleasant experience!
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" the simple things
f .... ..-1 ., . ... - ii ,. , . . . , , . , i . i i
,'. ii . Hu-Him . . . ., ; rr I ,f I ..L.no will tun tnjit tmiiA nf AUDMMneu until Tn oeriDDonea oitt i nrwnen ttap ninrn
that entertain, and Mother s tnougnnui surprw r,a",y r - - - r - -r
Family Weekly, February 16, 1958 27