Part 11 (2/2)

This is often the result of a long period of overfeeding or the use of milk too rich in fat. If in all other respects the child seems well and simply does not want his food, it should be offered at regular hours, but not more frequently; on no account should he be coaxed, much less forced, to eat, even though he takes only one half or one third the usual quant.i.ty. The intervals between feedings should not be shortened but rather lengthened. Often, with a child a year old, it is necessary to reduce the number of feedings to four or even three in twenty-four hours. Water, however, may be offered at more frequent intervals. The food should be weakened rather than strengthened. No greater mistake can be made than, because so little is taken, coaxing or forcing food at short intervals through fear lest the child may lose weight.

THE CHANGES IN THE FOOD REQUIRED BY SPECIAL SYMPTOMS OR CONDITIONS

Infants with weak digestion and those suffering from various forms of indigestion have often especial trouble in digesting the fat of milk.

To meet the needs of such there is required a series of formulas in which the fat is lower than in those already given.

These formulas are obtained from plain milk.

_Fourth Series_

_Formulas from Plain Milk (containing 4-per-cent Fat)_

--------------------------------------------------------- I. II. III. IV. V. VI. VII. VIII.

Plain milk 5oz. 6oz. 7oz. 8oz. 9oz. 10oz 12oz. 14oz.

Milk sugar 1 ” 1 ” 1 ” 1 ” 3/4 ” 3/4 ” 1/2 ” 1/2 ”

Lime-water. 1 ” 1 ” 1 ” 1 ” 1 ” 1 ” 1 ” 1 ”

Boiled water 14 ” 13 ” 12 ” 7 ” 6 ” 5 ” 2 ” 0 ”

Barley gruel 0 ” 0 ” 0 ” 4 ” 4 ” 4 ” 5 ” 5 ”

--------------------------------------------------------- 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 oz. oz. oz. oz. oz. oz. oz. oz.

When larger quant.i.ties than 20 ounces are required they are calculated in the same manner as described on page 73 in speaking of 10-per-cent milk.

The approximate composition of the formulas of the Fourth Series expressed in percentages is as follows:

---------------------------------------- FORMULA. Fat. Sugar. Proteids.

---------------------------------------- I. 1.00 6.00 0.90 II. 1.20 6.00 1.00 III. 1.40 6.50 1.20 IV. 1.60 6.50 1.40 V. 1.80 6.00 1.60 VI. 2.00 6.00 1.80 VII. 2.40 5.50 2.10 VIII. 2.80 5.50 2.50 ----------------------------------------

_Why is it that an infant so often vomits some of its food within a few moments after finis.h.i.+ng its bottle?_

Usually because the quant.i.ty is too large. Sometimes it is due to the fact that the food is taken too rapidly, from too large a hole in the nipple. It may be due to too tight clothing, or to moving the child about in such a way as to press upon the stomach.

_What are the princ.i.p.al causes of, and the changes in the food required by habitual vomiting, regurgitation, or spitting up of small quant.i.ties of food between feedings, often repeated many times a day?_

This is always a symptom of gastric indigestion, and a most troublesome one. In such conditions the fat and often the sugar also should be reduced and the lime-water increased.

Formulas made from rich top-milk or milk and cream are to be avoided.

Those made from 7-per-cent milk are less likely to be the cause of trouble than those from 10-per-cent milk; but if the symptoms are at all severe it is better to use instead of these the formulas of the Fourth Series derived from plain milk.

Reduction in the sugar may be made by adding only one half ounce of milk sugar to each twenty ounces of the food; in severe cases the sugar may be omitted altogether.

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