Bathing and Cleanliness in Infancy and Childhood: A Scientific Perspective.
Introduction:
Maintaining proper cleanliness and hygiene is crucial for an infant's and child's health.
Parents must pay close attention to certain aspects to ensure proper hygiene and cleanliness of their children's bodies.
The following article provides a scientific perspective on maintaining cleanliness
and hygiene during infancy and childhood.
Infancy:
The first few months of an infant's life are crucial, and maintaining proper hygiene during this period is essential for their health.
Initially, parents should wash their infant daily with warm water, and a thorough cleansing bath should be given every night.
It is not advisable to bathe a delicate newborn in cold water to "harden" their constitution, as this can lead to future health problems.
As the infant grows,
the water used for morning sponge baths can gradually be made tepid, while the
evening bath should remain warm.
After a few months, the water temperature may be gradually lowered until cold water is used for morning sponge baths during summer.
However, infants' delicate systems should not be subjected to cold baths for an extended period, as it can depress their vital energies and prevent a healthy glow on the surface, which is critical for the benefits of cold water.
In some cases, infants are too delicate and lack sufficient reaction
to tolerate cold baths. In such cases, the effects of cold water should be
carefully monitored.
The surface of the skin must be dried thoroughly, and gentle friction with flannel should be used to stimulate the skin.
Arm-pits, groins, and nates should be dried carefully, and if the child is overweight, applying hair powder or starch can prevent sores and excoriations.
Soap is
necessary only for areas that are exposed to dirt.
Childhood:
During childhood, it is common for bathing to become
less frequent, and parents may focus only on keeping their child's face and
hands clean. However, regular cleansing of the entire body is still necessary
for maintaining hygiene and promoting good health.
A child with a robust constitution and sound health
should have a shower-bath or be sponged with saltwater every morning after
waking up. If the child finds the shower-bath too alarming, tepid water can be
used during cold weather, but if the child can tolerate it, cold water should
be used year-round. The child's body should be dried quickly and rubbed with a
coarse towel before putting on clothes.
If a child is near the seaside, sea-bathing can be
substituted, and the best time is two or three hours after breakfast. However,
if the child is fatigued, cold bathing can be dangerous. Care must be taken to
ensure that the child does not remain in the water for too long, as excessive
exposure to cold water can lower their body temperature, leading to harm. The
immersion process should not scare the child, and every possible precaution
should be taken to prevent this.
If a child has a delicate and strumous constitution,
cold baths during the summer can be a great tonic, and sea-bathing can be
particularly beneficial if they live on the coast. However, the effects of
sea-bathing on a delicate constitution must be closely monitored to ensure that
the child feels a healthy glow and increased strength, and a keen appetite
after the bath. If not, the warm or tepid bath should be used instead. The
misconception that warm baths relax and weaken is false, as the tepid bath can
be as invigorating as the cold bath for a delicate child.
Conclusion:
Proper cleanliness and hygiene are crucial during
infancy and childhood. If bathing is not possible, cold saltwater sponging can
be used daily, but tepid vinegar or salt water should be substituted if the
child is delicate, and the weather is cold. Maintaining proper hygiene and
cleanliness can prevent diseases and promote
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