The Omaha Guide

THE ROAD TO HEALTH

By R. H. Carter, M.D., Instructor, Medical Information Atlanta University School of Social Work, Atlanta, Ga.

When a child keeps coming home from school with low grades, his parents frequently try to "fix the blame" for the bad report cards. They might scold the youngster himself for being lazy and inattentive. Or they might feel that "Johnny just can't seem to get anywhere with his teacher this year."

There are children who have special problems, of course, but I'm afraid that parents themselves are sometimes to blame for the bad marks. Responsibility toward Johnny's learning does not end with merely registering him at school. Johnny will get the most out of school if he is healthy and stays healthy, and it is up to his parents to keep a check on the child's health.

I have a young friend who was graduated from high school last June with the highest honors. He hopes to go to college soon and plans to study law. But years ago, when he started elementary school, it certainly didn't look as if little Dick Irving would ever take any honors.

Dick got through the first few years of school without serious mishap. It was in the fourth grade, as studies grew more difficult, that the trouble began. Throughout the fall and winter of that year, his report cards grew steadily worse. The child seemed to be losing weight. He grew listless and irritable and seemed to hate school and everything connected with it

Finally Dick's teacher visited Mr. and Mrs. Irving. She startled them when she told them she suspected that Dick's grades were low because he wasn't seeing or hearing well.

Unfortunately, there was no school doctor or nurse at the time in that particular school and the teacher advised the Irvings to take Dick to his family doctor for a check-up.

The boy's parents were alarmed and brought him to see me the following night. I found that Dick had an accumulation of wax in his ears that was impairing his hearing.

With treatment, his hearing improved rapidly. His defective vision took a little longer to correct, but with good medical care and the proper eyeglasses, Dick's sight was greatly improved within a few months. His grades steadily got better and he led his classes in the seventh and eighth grades.

Sometimes a child who seems to be dull and inattentive in school, actually has some physical disability that is responsible for his low marks. The parents who forms the habit of bringing his child to the doctor periodically for a check-up or consults the doctor at the first sign that something is wrong, takes wise steps to insure the child's well-being.