108 chapter 9
• When the baby has a fever,
uncover him
completely.
If the fever is high, wet the child
and fan him until he is cooler.
Never wrap the baby
up in clothing or
blankets.
This can make the fever worse and cause
seizures or permanent brain damage.
Be sure the child with fever drinks a lot of liquids, and follow the other
instructions on pages 75 to 76 of Where There Is No Doctor.
• Know the signs of meningitis and get (or begin) treatment quickly.
Soft spot bulges up
(babies under 1 year), stiff neck
back bent back,
knees forward
fever
drowsy, sleepy,
seizures or
jerks
sometimes vomiting
worse and worse
until child loses
consciousness
• When your baby has diarrhea, prepare Rehydration Drink and give it to him every
few minutes to prevent or correct dehydration. See Where There Is No Doctor,
p. 151 to 161.
Preventing dehydration helps prevent
seizures and brain damage (cerebral palsy).
REHYDRATION DRINK—TO PREVENT AND TREAT DEHYDRATION
In 1 liter
of WATER
(better if
boiled,
but do
not lose
time)
put 2 level tablespoons
of SUGAR or honey
and ¼ teaspoon SALT
and
¼ teaspoon
BAKING SODA
(bicarbonate of
soda).
CAUTION:
Before giving the Drink
taste it and be sure it
is no more salty than
tears.
If you do not have
soda, use another ¼
teaspoon salt.
If available, add half a cup of orange juice or coconut water
or a little mashed ripe banana to the Drink.
OTHER PARTS OF THIS BOOK WITH INFORMATION
CONCERNING CEREBRAL PALSY
Cerebral palsy is a complex disability that involves many problems and needs.
Therefore much of the basic information you will need is in other chapters. It is
essential that you read Chapters 4, 8, 33 to 43, and 62 to 66.
Throughout the book, important information about cerebral palsy has been
marked with a cp in the margin. Many references to cerebral palsy are also included
in the INDEX.
Disabled village Children