Volume 1

Notes on the development of a child / by Milicent Washburn Shinn.

  • Milicent Shinn
Date:
[1908-1909]
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Notes on the development of a child / by Milicent Washburn Shinn. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    the shoulders forward, etc., — tricks that are not only ungraceful, but likely to produce spinal curvatures, narrowed chests, and other serious physical ills. There is little use in the mother’s trying to correct such faults, for all she can do, even with older children, is constantly to warn them to correct their positions; the weak muscle can be pulled to its place for the moment by an effort, but the instant attention is withdrawn, the muscle relaxes, and nothing is gained. Yet the faults, even where they are strongly hereditary, are corrected with singular ease in these early years by special exercise, as I know from the case of my niece, who at seven years old showed remarkable improvement in her whole carriage, as the result of exercises, within a month. Symmetrical muscular devel- opment, however, is not ordinarily included in the range of a physician’s studies; nor do many physicians care to occupy them- selves with a child’s turned-in toes or slovenly way of sitting. Until competent gymnasium teachers, therefore, are far more numerous in the community, it will often be impossible for the mother to get proper advice about matters of gait and bearing. In that case, it will be better for her to trust to the utmost general freedom and activity of the body than to take risks from ignorantly prescribed special treatment. Table 9. Instincts Connected with Food-Taking. EARLIEST DATE OF APPEARANCE. MOVEMENT. OBSERVER. LATER DATES OF APPEAR- ANCE. At birth Sucking Preyer and other observers [I do not know oT any re- corded case in which this movement did not appear on the first op- portunity, usually 1st day; cases are indefi- nitely reported in which it was at first very imper- fect.] mt Hay Licking Preyer 1st week Thrusting out nipple... Smacking.... Biting Shinn Shinn 15th week Shinn 10th to 20th months.. Spitting out. Shinn Of the other instinctive movements, described on pp. 392-5, there is not enough record made by other observers to be worth comparative tabulating. Milicent Washburn Shinn. 28
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