There is no doubt that some children are much more nervous than others. They either come from nervous families and naturally have a nervous disposition, or are made nervous by their surroundings and treatment. Such children must, of course, have different treatment from the placid easy-going child who is never upset by anything. And what do we mean by a nervous child? In the first place, one who is easily upset by a slight cause, or one who is easily frightened, or perhaps a child who cries a great deal on slight provocation.

Some children show their nervousness by being afraid of things that ought not to cause fear, and others show their nervousness by having various pains and imaginary ills, just as the hypochondriac adult does. The twitching of a group of muscles is another way that the child has of showing his nervous make-up. These motions are called habit spasms or tics. They are so common that they hardly need description. The child who continually blinks his eyes or shrugs his shoulders or makes any peculiar motion of the body does it more and more often until it has become such a fixed habit that he can only overcome it with great difficulty. Some children even have a nervous cough or rasping of the throat which becomes more and more a habit. It is very important to overcome these things in their beginning because if this is not done, the child grows up to be a nervous adult and has hysteria and various other neurotic tendencies all his life.

The unfortunate part of the whole subject is that the nervous child usually comes by his affection honestly; that is, he inherits a nervous disposition from one or both of his parents, and at the same time being constantly associated with them, he is surrounded by nervous influences. For that reason I have occasionally found it necessary in some of the worst cases, to separate the child from the nervous mother. This may be done by sending the child away to stay with some relative, always being careful to select one who is not nervous herself. In other cases, a nurse may be found who is not of a nervous or excitable disposition. This will answer the purpose very well if she is allowed to have full control of the child. In still other cases, a mother, once she understands the cause of the child's condition, can be brought to look upon it in a sensible manner, and overcome it herself.

It is impossible to give any one plan of treatment for all nervous children, because each case is different, and each child must be handled with the utmost common sense and tact. There is one rule which applies to all, and that is for those who surround the child never to become excited themselves. Some children can be broken of their nervousness by severe and strict discipline, while others must be humored to a certain extent. They should never be allowed to listen to a recital of their own nervous symptoms, and they should not continually be told that they are nervous. In fact, it is sometimes best to overlook the nervous symptoms altogether. They should be allowed to play with other children of their own age, and not kept by themselves, as is often done. Sometimes in the younger children the nervous symptoms disappear when the child starts to school.

In the older children of the school age, the nervousness may be aggravated by hard study or indoor life. Occasionally, a complete change of surroundings is beneficial. This change of surroundings is far more effective with children than with adults, because children forget more easily. Their curiosity stimulates them to new things more quickly, and old ties are soon cut off.

Many nervous children do not get enough sleep. Sometimes they sleep poorly because of the nervousness and sometimes it is because their daily routine is not a proper one. At the same time, the lack of sleep makes them still more nervous. The diet, also, has a great deal to do with causing such a condition. The strictest diet must be established and maintained. The child who has more or less indigestion, or who does not take plenty of good nourishing food, could only be expected to be nervous.

Roger H. Dennett

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