During Infancy

Cleanliness is essential to the health of the baby. The main points of emphasis that must be paid by parents for this purpose are the following:

Initially, the infant should be washed daily with warm water and a bath every night, for deep cleansing of the body, is necessary. To bathe a delicate infant of a few days or even weeks in cold water to “harden” the constitution (as it is called) is the most effective way to jeopardize their health and lead to future illnesses. By degrees, however, water can be cleaned with sponge in the morning to a warm bath in the afternoon continued warm enough to be grateful for the sentiments.

A few months after going through the water temperature can be reduced gradually until it is used for cooling, which May be cleaned with a sponge or even immersed in it every morning during the summer. If plunged into cold water, however, must be maintained, but in a minute, for this period, especially the sensation of cold for a long time in the fall of the vital energies, and prevents health shine on surface which usually follows the momentary and brief action of cold, and depends on its usefulness. With some children, indeed, is an extreme delicacy and a lack of response so that the danger of cold without heat at the surface takes place when its use is unavoidable damage: its effects must be carefully controlled.

The surface of the skin should always be carefully and thoroughly rubbed dry with flannel, indeed, in the dry, the skin should be warmed and stimulated by the assiduous gentle used friction. For this process of washing and drying must not be done languidly, but rapidly and with diligence, and then found that one of the most effective means of strengthening the child. It is especially necessary carefully to dry the arm-pits, groins, and the mine, and if the child is very fat, is more to these parts with hair-powder or powder starch: this prevents excoriations and wounds, which are often very problematic. Soap is only required for those parts of the body that are exposed to the reception of dirt.

During Childhood

Come this time, or shortly after, the bathroom is too often leave the hands and face of the child are kept clean, with the nurse is satisfied, the daily health of the whole body, however, is necessary not only for the preservation of cleanliness, but also because it promotes a high level of health of the child.

A child of a strong constitution and robust health that comes out of his bed day and night by his rest, must be placed in the bathroom shower, or, if this excites and alarms him too, must be washed with sponge from head to foot with salt water. If the weather is very cold, water can be a little hot, but if you take care of their training, the water should be cold throughout the year. Then the body must be dried quickly and hastily, but rubbed with a somewhat coarse towel, and put on clothes without unnecessary delay. This should be done every day in the life of the child.

If these children are on the shore, he must take advantage of this fact and should be replaced sea-bathing. The best time is two or three hours after breakfast, but it should not be tired in advance, if applicable, the cold bath can not be safely used. You must be careful not to stay too long, the animal heat will be reduced below the appropriate level, which would be more damaging. Among children of low constitution is often a lot of damage to products in this way. He is also a matter of great consequence in bathing children that they should not be terrified by the immersion, and all precautions must be taken to prevent this. The robust and healthy child, should also be taught to swim early, if possible, as it is attended by more beneficial effects, but a more vigorous exercise, and the cold bath becomes doubly service.

If a child is a delicate and strumous constitution, the cold bath during the summer is one of the best tonics that can be used, and they live on the coast, sea-bathing is more singular. The effects, however, swim to the constitution must be particularly watched, for if it is managed by a radiance, a sense of strength and a large appetite, it will not be and should be abandoned once by the hot or warm bath. The general view, relaxation and hot baths weaken, is erroneous, because in this case, as in all cases, when employees, who set the tone and the strength of the whole system, in fact, the hot bath is what this child the cold bath is the most robust.

In conclusion: if the bath in any form can be obtained from the case, then cold saltwater sponge should be used daily and year-round, provided that the reaction or glow But even when this use is not the case, and this usually occurs if the child is sensitive to cold, vinegar and hot water or warm salt water, must be replaced.