DOWN WITH FEVER
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- DOWN WITH FEVER
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CHILD-to-child Readers
Down with Fever
Pauletta Edwards
Down with fever
r
Editor Pauletta Edwards
Illustrator Joan Gammans
Project team:
Ken Cripwell World Health Organisation/ Institute of
Education. London, UK.
Dr Pauletta Edwards University College Cardiff, UK.
Shan Griffith-Pinna Curriculum specialist.
Colette Hawes Language specialist
Hugh Hawes Institute of Education, London, UK.
Dr Keith Lowe Ministry of Education, Kingston, Jamaica
Augustine Veliath Voluntary Health Association of India.
Professor David Morley Institute of Child Health, London, UK.
Consultants:
Dr Gregory Akenzua University of Benin. Nigeria.
Dr Sam Aleyideino Commission of Works, Yola, Nigeria.
Mr Arthur Baganywa National Curriculum Development.
Uganda.
DrSamTunde Bajah International Centre for Educational
Evaluation, Ibadan. Nigeria.
Dr Hassan Bella London School of Hygiene and Tropical
Medicine/Institute of Tropical Medicine, Sudan
Professor Nimrod Bwibo Kenyatta National Hospital, Nairobi.
Kenya.
Dr Gilane Osman Children's Hospital, Ainshams Faculty of
Medicine. Cairo, Egypt
Mr Michael Savage Institute of Education, Nairobi, Kenya.
Professor Henry Ayot Kenyatta University, Kenya
Dr Tom Lambo Deputy Director General. World Health
Organisation, Geneva.
Lady Khama Botswana.
►M►
Longman
MAINLY FOR PARENTS AND TEACHERS
Pneumonia is a dangerous illness and kills
small children within hours if it is not treated
veryquickly. Itisoneofthecommon causes of
death. Antibiotics, washing in cool water to
keep down the temperature and drinking
plenty of fluids are the three most important
aspects of the treatment.
This story tells how an eleven year old girl
saves the life of her sister, who has pneumonia
("puffing fever") by prompt action and careful
nursing.
The story emphasises the importance of early
recognition and treatment of pneumonia. It
also shows the part which older children can
play in fighting this illness.
COMM’JNl r y HEALTH cell
47/1, (First Floor; St. Marks Road
Longman Group UK Limited,
Longman House, Burnt Mill, Harlow,
Essex CM20 2JE, England
and Associated Companies throughout the world
Bangalore - 560 001.
© Longman Group Limited 1985
All rights reserved; no part of this publication
may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system,
or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic,
mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise,
without the prior written permission of the Publishers.
First published 1985
Reprinted 1987
Set in Univers Medium (Lasercomp)
Produced by Longman Group (FE) Ltd
Printed in Hong Kong
isbn □-5aa-acisiD-3
The health worker comes to school
One morning Ruth was getting ready for school. She was
looking forward to going to school that day. The health
worker was coming in the afternoon. She was going to
teach them how to look after sick children. Ruth was glad.
She was eleven years old and she had two brothers and
one sister. The eldest brother, Peter, was seven years old.
the youngest brother, Simon, was five. Sara, her little sister,
was three.
Ruth often looked after them when their mother was
away. They were often sick. So were the other children she
knew. Sometimes they were very sick and they died.
3
When Ruth was leaving the house, her aunt, Mrs Kola
said: "You be good at school and come straight home
afterwards. Don't be late. You are always late
"Oh, Hanna I" said her mother, "Ruth isn't often late.
She is a good girl, usually."
"Humph!" said her aunt. When her husband had been
killed by a car, Mrs Kola had come to live with the family.
Ruth didn't like her. She always spoke in an angry
voice. Every time she saw Ruth doing something, she
would say: "That's not right!" Ruth called her MrsThat'sNot-Right when there were no grown-ups near. Her aunt
even said "That's not right" about things Ruth learnt at
school. Ruth always tried to hide when she saw her. She
said: "Good morning, Auntie, Yes, Auntie," and hurried
away.
4
Ruth enjoyed her day at school. In the afternoon the
health worker came. There teacher said: "This is Mrs
Banjo, the health worker. She will come every Thursday.
She will teach us how to look after sick children. Then
you will be able to look after your brothers and sisters
when they are ill. She will give us six lessons."
All the children listened very carefully. They all had
brothers and sisters. They were often sick, Mrs Banjo
began the first lesson. "Today we will learn about fever.
How many of you have had fever?" Several children raised
their hands. "How did you feel?" Many children wanted to
answer.
"I felt hot.” "I had a pain in my head." "I was thirsty all
the time." "My mouth felt very dry. It tasted nasty." "I had
a pain in my ear." "I had sore eyes." "My eyes hurt when I
looked at the daylight." "My body was wet all over."
5
Mrs Banjo was pleased. "Well done!" she said. "You
are clever boys and girls!” Then she asked: "Did you cry a lot?"
"Yes, we did,” the children answered.
"Why did you cry?"
Ruth said: "Because I was all by myself. My friends
were playing outside. I heard them but I couldn't see them.
I was lonely."
"That was very sad, Ruth," said Mrs Banjo.
Then she asked: "Who looked after you and what did
they do to make you better?"
"My mother gave me some water." "My auntie washed
me." "They gave me medicine."
"Well," said Mrs Banjo, "Let's think how you can help
a child with fever." She looked round the class. "Moses,
your auntie washed you. Why did she wash you?"
"To make me clean," said Moses.
6
“That's right," said Mrs Banjo. “You must wash the
whole body in cool water to make it clean. Ruth, your body
felt wet all over. When we have fever, water comes out of
our bodies, as it does when we run. What do we call this
water?"
None of the children knew. “We call this water sweat,”
Mrs Banjo said. “Look. I will write it on the board for you.
So we wash the body in cool water to wash away the
sweat. Cool water makes the body cool and it takes away
the fever."
Mrs Banjo held up a piece of paper. “I wrote a song for
you,“she said. “Itwill helpyouto remember the things I
tell you."
7
Mrs Banjo smiled. "It is a song about children with
fever," she said. "Here is the first verse.
Washing takes away the fever,
Sweat and dirt all go away;
Wash the children in cool water,
Wash them many times a day.
There!" said Mrs Banjo, "Please write it in your books."
They soon finished writing and Mrs Banjo said: "Next
week we will talk about the mouth. I will tell you how to
take away the nasty taste and how to stop the thirst.
Goodbye, everyone!"
8
The second lesson
Next week Mrs Banjo gave the second lesson.
"What did you tell me last week?" she asked. "Your
mouths tasted nasty when you had fever. You were thirsty.
What did Jesse tell us? His mother gave him water. Clean
water is very good." Then Mrs Banjo asked: "Do you like
fruit? What fruit do you like?"
The children answered: "Oranges." "Lemons with
sugar." "Pineapples." "Mangoes." "Guavas." "Limes with
sugar."
"Well done!" said Mrs Banjo. "And how does your
mouth feel when you eat fruit?"
Ibrahim answered her: "It feels fresh and cool and it
tastes sweet."
"Good, Ibrahim," said Mrs Banjo.
9
Then she said: “Children with fever aren't very strong.
They can drink very well but they can only eat soft food.
So we must get the juice from the fruit. I will show you. You
cut the fruit in half. Then you press each half between your
hands and all the juice runs into the pot.
Wash your hands carefully before you do it, like I did. If
you don't wash your hands the child will become more ill."
Mrs Banjo finished pressing the fruit. Then she said:
"Children with fever like to drink fruit juice. Oranges,
lemons and limes are best. You can press them easily. If
you press lemons and limes you must put in some sugar.
They aren't very nice without sugar. Put some water in too.
But the water must be clean."
10
Then Mrs Banjo asked: "Did you drink a lot?"
One of the children answered: "No. I wanted to drink
very much but there was no-one to give me a drink."
Mrs Banjo said: "Children with fever need to drink a lot.
They must drink a lot. It takes away the fever and it makes
their mouths feel fresh and cool. But they mustn't drink a
lot at a time. So you must give them small drinks very often.
Listen to the second verse of the song:
Drinking takes away the fever,
Lemons, oranges and lime,
Make their mouths feel cool and fresher,
Drinking, drinking all the time."
"Next week we will talk about food," said Mrs Banjo
"Goodbye I"
n
lo%6
community he al th ctl l
-47/T. (First Floor; St. Mirks R.ad,
BanitaTere - 560 001.
The third lesson
The next Thursday came. All the children waited excitedly
for the third lesson.
Mrs Banjo began: "Today we are going to talk, about
food. What sort of food do sick children like to eat?" she
asked.
One of the boys answered: "I didn't want anything to
eat when I had a fever." Another boy said: "My mother
gave me some chicken but I didn't eat it.”
"Well," said Mrs Banjo, "children with fever need food
to make them strong again. If they don't eat, the sickness
will stay a long time. But all the food must be soft. They
can't eat hard food. Who has watched Mother making soft
food?"
All the children raised their hands.
12
"Ruth, how does your mother moke food soft?” asked
Mrs Banjo.
"She mashes it in a big pot,” said Ruth.
"Good!" said Mrs Banjo. "You can mash many foods.
You can mash mangoes, bananas, beans and cooked dark
green leaves. These are good for children with fever. But
don't give them very much. It will make them vomit."
Then Mrs Banjo asked: "What other cooked foods can
you mash?"
Several of the children answered. "Carrots." "Rice."
"That's right," said Mrs Banjo. "When you mash food,
add a little cooking oil. Now, here is the third verse of the
song:
Mangoes, beans and soft bananas,
Carrots, dark green leaves and grain;
Put them in a pot and mash them!
Soft food makes us well again."
13
"There!” said Mrs Banjo. "That is enough for today.
Next week I will tell you some more. I will give you some
more of the song too.”
Ruth went home and told her mother and father all
about the lesson. "Can I help you next time the children are
sick?" she asked.
"Yes, dear,” said her mother.
Ruth went to play with her brothers and sister. She
heard her aunt say: "It isn't right, Jane 1 We all know you
mustn't touch a child with fever! You mustn't feed a sick
child! Washing in cool water? That is bad! Fruit juices!
What do they teach them at school? It's not right!”
Her mother answered: "Don't worry, Hanna. I'm sure it
is all right. These are new ideas. We must welcome them.
The health worker is teaching us through our children.”
14
The fourth lesson
The next week Ruth walked to school with her friend,
Rebecca. They sang the song together.
In the afternoon the children sang the song for Mrs
Banjo. She was very happy. She smiled and said: "You
sang it very nicely and you have remembered it well I Now,
let's talk about eyes. What did your eyes feel like when you
had fever, Solomon?”
Solomon said: "They were sore. They hurt me a lot.
They weren't clean. They were sticky, like when you get
sugar on your fingers. Sometimes I couldn't open them.
The flies came and sat on them. I tried to make them go
away. I couldn't. I was too weak.”
15
"Oh, dear! What did you do?” asked Mrs Banjo.
Solomon said: "I put my head under the cover and tried
to hide from them.”
"So did I,” said Ibrahim. "But they didn't go away. I
could still hearthem.”
Mrs Banjo said: "What could you do to help? What
makes the eyes sticky? Who can tell me?"
Rebecca spoke: "I got dirt in my eye," she said. "I tried
to get it out with my finger. Next day my eye was a bit
sticky."
"Yes, Rebecca. Dirt makes eyes sticky," said Mrs
Banjo. "If we take away the dirt the flies will not come.
How could we take away the dirt?"
Ruth was thinking very hard. "Could we wash the eyes
in cool water?" she asked.
16
Mrs Banjo was very pleased. "That's right, Ruth. But
the water must be clean.”
Rebecca said: "My mother keeps some water in a
covered pot. That water must be clean, mustn't it? We use it
for drinking. Could I use that for washing eyes?"
"Yes, well done, Rebecca," said Mrs Banjo. "This is
how you do it. Wash your hands carefully. Then get a well
cleaned bowl. Put some clean water in it. Put a little bit of
salt in as well. Don't put too much salt in. It will make the
eyes hurt. A little bit of salt is good. It stops the eyes from
getting sticky. Next, take a small piece of clean cloth or
cotton wool. Wet it in the water and wash one eye very
gently, like this.
17
Then take another piece of cloth and wash the other
eye. Burn the pieces of cloth or throw them away. Then
wash your hands once more. You must wash the eyes
several times a day. Now listen to the fourth verse of the
song:
Wash their eyes in cool, clean water,
This will stop them getting sore;
Burn the piece of cloth straight after;
Dirty flies will come no more.”
They copied the words from the board. Then Mrs Banjo
said: "Next week we will talk about flies and other insects.
Goodbye!”
"Goodbye, Mrs Banjo,” said the children.
COCK ROACH
18
The fifth lesson
The next week, Mrs Banjo asked: "What are we going to
talk about today?”
"Insects! Flies! Mosquitoes!"
"That's right," said Mrs Banjo. "Do we like insects in
the house?" "No!"
"Why not?” asked Mrs Banjo.
"Because they bite!" "They make our food go bad."
"They walk all over us."
"Why do they come into the house?" she asked. Moses
said: "They are searching for food." Another boy said:
"They are looking for someone to bite!"
"Yes," said Mrs Banjo. "Sick children are very weak.
They can't make the flies go away. You said so, didn't you,
Solomon? Ibrahim did too. How can we keep flies and
other insects away from sick children?”
19
Ibrahim said: "If we wave our hands gently the flies will
go away." Moses said: "If we keep our food and water
covered, they will not have anything to eat. Then perhaps
they will go away." Comfort said: "If we keep things clean,
the insects will not want to come in.”
"Good I" said Mrs Banjo. "Now we can add another
verse to our song!
Keep away all flies and insects;
They will make them sicker still.
Keep all food and water covered.
You can do it - if you will 1”
Then Mrs Banjo said: "Ruth, you felt lonely when you
had a fever."
"Yes," said Ruth. "I wanted someone to talk to but
nobody came."
20
Mrs Banjo nodded. "Sick children must not feel lonely.
Lonely children don't get better quickly. Happy children
get better much more quickly. How can we make them
happy?"
"We can talk to them." "We can tell them stories." "We
can sing to them."
"Yes," said Mrs Banjo. "You can tell them what you
see outside. You can tell them what you did at school. You
can play games with them. But you must do these things
quietly. Sick children don't like being lonely, but they don't
like noise either. They often have a pain in their head.
Noise makes the pain worse and gives them more fever.
When you are with them you can keep away insects."
21
community health cell
47/1. <Fir»t Flo«rj St. Marks Rsa4.
Banqalore - 560 001.
"Now, here is the last verse of the song:
Talk to them and tell them stories;
Tell them what you did at school;
Sing and play and make them happy.
Keep them QUIET, CLEAN AND COOL.
"Now you have the whole song," Mrs Banjo said,
"Now you know how to look after your brothers and sisters
when they have fever. Next week we will sing the song
together. Then I will tell you how to take care of children
with puffing fever. I will tell you what it means next week,"
she said, smiling.
After school, Ruth and Rebecca walked home together.
Ruth told Rebecca about her aunt.
22
"I am afraid of her!” said Ruth.
"So am I!" said Rebecca. "She is always angry. She
always shouts at me too I"
Let's sing our song," said Ruth.
They began to sing. Then Rebecca stopped. "Ssh!" she
whispered. "There she is!"
"Where?" "There! Walking along in front of us!"
"Let's go away," said Ruth quietly. "Perhaps she will
not see us."
They began to creep away, but Mrs That's-Not-Right
saw them. She was very angry.
"Come here!" she called. The two girls came nearer.
"That's not right!" she shouted. "That is a very silly
song. What do they teach you at school? They fill your
heads with silly ideas. They don't seem to do you any
good!"
23
The two girls didn't know she would be so angry. They
were afraid.
"I am sorry, Auntie,” said Ruth. "We learnt the song at
school. We were trying to remember it."
"So you should be!" said her aunt. "You mustn't sing
silly songs like that I I shall tell your mothers about it!"
The two girls ran all the way home. Ruth told her
mother about her aunt. "She always shouts at me!” she
cried. "Even about the things I learn at school I"
"Hush!" said her mother. "You must be kind to your
auntie. She wasn't lucky like you. She didn't go to school.
She needs help to learn these things."
"Oh!" said Ruth. "I didn't think of that!" She went
outside to her brothers and sister. She was still afraid of her
aunt.
24
The sixth lesson
"Today," Mrs Banjo began, "I am going to teach you
about Puffing Fever. "Moses," she said, "go and run round
the playground once. Run very fast. Then come straight
back."
Moses was very surprised, but he got up. He ran very
fast round the playground. When he came back, he was
breathing very hard. Puff! Puff! He was making a lot of
noise!
"Look at Moses," said Mrs Banjo. "See how he is
breathing. Puff! Puff! He is puffing very hard, isn't he?
That is how children are when they have Puffing Fever.
When they breathe, they make puffing noises like Moses.
They make more noise than Moses did. Even when they are
sitting still, they puff. They puff all the time."
25
Mrs Banjo held up a piece of paper. "This is the Song of
the Puffing Fever," she said. “I will give you the verses
afterwards."
Then she said: "Now, if your brother or sister starts
puffing, you must tell your mother at once. If your mother
isn't at home, tell someone else. You mustteW someone at
once. Then they must come and tell me. I will come at once.
I will bring some Puffing Fever medicine. It is very strong.
It will help to make your brother or sister well again. A child
with Puffing Fever must have the medicine very quickly."
Mrs Banjo looked at them all. "Do you understand?"
she asked. "Yes,” they answered.
"Good," said Mrs Banjo.
26
"Now, children with Puffing Fever get a lot of sticky
water in their mouths. It makes them puff. They cough a
They try to get the sticky water out. Some comes out but
there is always some left."
Ruth held up her hand.
"Yes, Ruth? What is it?" asked Mrs Banjo.
"Is it like the sticky water we get in our noses?” she
asked. "I had sticky water in my nose when I had a cold.”
"Well done, Ruth I" said Mrs Banjo. "Yes, it is the
same."
Then she went on, "Every time they cough some sticky
water comes out of their mouths."
27
She held up a piece of cloth. "Hold a piece of cloth in
front of their mouths when they cough. Then the sticky
water will go on to the cloth. Sticky water is very bad. It
carries sickness. You must be very careful. Throw the cloth
on the fire or throw it away. Then wash your hands
carefully."
Mrs Banjo had many pieces of cloth. She picked up
another piece. "Always keep a clean piece of cloth in your
hand. Then you will be ready when they cough again.”
Mrs Banjo put down the piece of cloth. She said:
"Children with fever like to lie down. Children with Puffing
Fever must sit up. They are very weak. They can't do it by
themselves so you must help them."
28
Mrs Banjo smiled. "This song will help you to
remember!
When a child gets Puffing Fever
Tell an adult straight away I
Puffing Fever is a danger,
He needs medicine every day.
Keep a cloth for sticky water;
Sticky water is very bad !
Burn the cloth and wash your fingers;
You won't get it - you'll be glad I
Sit him up and hold him gently,
He won't puff so much at you !
Do the other things for fever,
Everything you've learnt to do!
29
Mrs Banjo sang the song. Then she said: "You must do
everything else I taught you as well.
children with feve«
WHS
THEM >N CoothWER
GIVE TH
SMHLLDRlNFi
VERS OPT^N
KEEP FLIES
MD INSECTS
thlk to them
S1MG to THEM
KEEP THEM HftPP'y
Wash them in cool water. Keep their eyes clean. Give
them small drinks very often. Give them orange juice, lime
juice and lemon juice. Don't let them get lonely. Then your
brother or sister will get well again."
Mrs Banjo smiled happily. "This is the last day of term,"
she said. "I will come back next term and teach you some
more. Goodbye!"
"Goodbye, Mrs Banjo," they all said.
30
Ruth helps to cure the Puffing Fever
One day during the holidays Ruth was playing with her
brothers and sister. Rebecca and her two brothers were
with her.
All the children were playing together. Except Sara.
Sara was sitting with the other children, but she wasn't
playing. She looked unhappy. Soon she began to cry.
Rebecca said: "Ruth, is Sara all right? She isn't playing
like she usually does."
"No," Ruth answered. "I think there is something
wrong with her."
She went over to Sara. She put her arm round her little
sister.
"What is the matter, Sara?" she asked. "Aren't you
happy?"
31
Sara continued to cry. "It hurts!"
"Where does it hurt?"
"HereI” Sara put her hand on her head. "I feel bad!"
she cried.
Ruth called to Rebecca. "Will you look after my
brothers for me? I think Sara is sick. I am taking her home."
"All right," said Rebecca. "Don't worry."
Ruth took Sara home. Her mother and aunt were away
at the market. Sara had a hot forehead. Her clothes were
wet. "That must be sweat," Ruth thought. "I must wash
her."
She washed Sara in cool water. Then she dressed her in
clean, dry clothes.
32
Next she pressed some oranges and gave Sara a small
drink.
Then she washed her eyes in some water from the
covered drinking pot. Then she covered her with a clean
cloth and sat down beside her. She talked quietly to Sara
until her mother and aunt came home. She kept insects
away with her hand.
When her mother came, Ruth told her about Sara. "I
have washed her and made her comfortable,” she said. "I
have also given her a drink of orange. I left Peter and
Simon with Rebecca.”
"Good girl!" said her mother. "You have done well. You
can look after Sara while I am busy. If you get worried,
come and tell me."
33
"Jane, what are you saying? You can't let Ruth do all
these things!” said her aunt.
"They are wrong and you know it! Sara must be left
alone. She mustn't eat or drink.”
"Please, Hanna! Leave me to look after my own
children.”
Ruth looked from her mother to her aunt. She was very
worried.
"All right!” said her aunt. "I am going! But you will
see! You will be sorry!"
"What shall I do, Mother?" asked Ruth in a small voice.
Her mother smiled. "Go and look after Sara,” she said.
"Do what Mrs Banjo taught you.”
34
All that day Ruth looked after Sara. Sara was often wet
with sweat. Each time Ruth washed her and cleaned her
eyes.
She made pressed drinks. Once she even pressed some
tomatoes and added a little salt. She kept Sara cool, clean
and quiet.
In the evening her mother was cooking beans. "May I
have a few beans please, Mother?” asked Ruth. "I can
mash them for Sara.”
"Will she eat them, do you think?” her mother asked.
"I don't know,” Ruth answered. "Mrs Banjo told us to
try. I don't want many.”
"All right,” said her mother. "Here are a few."
"Sara will not eat it!" Ruth heard her aunt say.
35
Ruth mashed the beans and added a little cooking oil.
She took the food to Sara and helped her to eat it.
Sara didn't want much, but she ate most of it.
Her mother was surprised. "I didn't think a sick child
would eat anything,” she said. "Well done, Ruth.”
Even her aunt was surprised. But she said: "You will be
sorry, Jane!”
After the meal, Ruth lay down beside Sara. Sara was
asleep. Soon Ruth was asleep too.
Ruth woke up suddenly. "What is that funny noise!”
she wondered. Then she knew. Sara was puffing! Sara had
Puffing Fever! She went quickly to her mother. "Mother,
wake up! Sara has Puffing Fever!”
36
"What is she saying?” asked her father.
"Sara has Puffing Fever," her mother replied. "Go and
tell Mrs Banjo."
"But it is early in the morning I" he said. "I can't go
now."
Ruth was afraid. "Please, Mother!" she said. "Sara
must have the medicine quickly."
"All right!" said her father. "I will go." And he rode
away on his bicycle.
"I knew something bad would happen!" said Mrs
That's-Not-Right.
"Ruth, when did Sara start puffing?" her mother asked.
"I don't know," Ruth replied. "She was puffing when I
woke up."
Peter and Simon were awake too. "What is the
matter?" they asked sleepily.
37
"Sara has Puffing Fever," said Ruth. "You will have to
be very quiet.”
Ruth went back to Sara. Her clothes were very wet and
her eyes were sticky. Ruth washed her in cool water and
dressed her in clean, dry clothes. Then she washed her
eyes. Then Ruth washed her own hands. She sat down
beside Sara. She lifted Sara up beside her and held her
gently.
Ruth heard voices. Mrs Banjo came in.
"Hello, Ruth," she said. "I see you have done what I
taught you. You are a very clever girl."
Mrs Banjo looked at Sara. "Yes," she said, "Sara has
Puffing Fever. Ruth has looked after her very well. With this
medicine and your help, she will get better very soon."
38
Mrs That's -Not-Right was listening.
"HumphI" she said. But she didn't say anything else.
Mrs Banjo gave Sara some medicine.
Then she said: "Give Sara some of this medicine every
morning and every evening. I will come back this evening
and see how she is."
All that day Ruth looked after her little sister. She
washed her, fed her and made her drinks. She talked to her
and held her gently.
Mrs Banjo came in the evening. She was very pleased
with Ruth. "You have done very well I" she said. "Call me
again if you need me."
39
Every day Ruth took care of Sara and gave her the
medicine. She played with her and talked to her and kept
her happy.
One day Ruth was washing Sara. Her mother and aunt
were talking together.
"These ideas seem to be all right," said her aunt. "But I
don't know. Aren't you worried about what Ruth is
doing?"
"No," her mother replied. "And don't you worry either.
These new ideas are very good. Ruth has learnt how to
take care of sick children. She has looked after Sara very
well. Can't you see how much better Sara is?”
"I am not sure," said her aunt. "I will wait and see. Sara
is not well yet." But she wasn't as angry as usual.
40
After a few days Sara stopped puffing. She got better
and better. Soon she was quite well again. She could go
out to play with the other children.
"Ruth,'' said her mother, "you have done very well. You
learnt your lessons well. Mrs Banjo is very pleased with
you. So am I!"
"Thank you, Mother," Ruth answered.
In a few minutes her aunt returned from market. "Where
is Sara?" she asked.
"She is out playing," her mother replied.
"I don't believe it," her aunt was very surprised.
Her mother laughed. "You will have to believe it! Look!”
41
The two women looked out of the door. Sara was
playing happily with the other children.
"What a pity we didn't learn these things when we
were younger, Hanna. Do you remember when children
died of the Puffing Fever?"
"Yes," MrsThat's-Not-Rightanswered.
"But these children are learning. They will know how to
look after their own children when they grown up.”
42
Things to do
I
How many fruits can you think of? Make a list.
How many of these can you press?
2
Make a pressed drink. Add a little water. If you use
limes or lemons, add a little sugar. Drink it. How does
your mouth feel?
3
What food do you eat at home? Make a list.
How many of these can you mash to make a soft food?
U-
You want a lot of cloth for children with fever. You need
small pieces of cloth to wash the eyes. You need larger
pieces of cloth when a child coughs. Where can you get
some from? Collect some and make it into small pieces
and big pieces. Keep them in a clean place until you
need them.
5
Make a play about a child with fever. You will need:
Mother
MrsThat's-Not-Right
Ruth
Rebecca
Sara
Mrs Banjo
Do you need anyone else?
What will they all say ? What will they all do?
Do the play for yourfriends.
43
Fever - A game for two players
To play the game: you need seven small stones or other
small things. Put one stone on each square in front of you.
Like this:
you
you
CLEANED WASHED
THE
THE
YOU
eUBNT
the
CLOTHS
YOU
made
PRESSe D
You
MADE
SOFT
FOO O
You TOLO
STORIES
AND SANG
SONGS
E'/ES
6ODY
o
Q)
C7
AV/*>W
S-.NO9
9NVJC ONV
93^02^
O-TOX nOA
aooj
4flO0
2d2»
OOA
xjo5
OOA
DR.INICS
O3C933CJ
govn
3HX
INyne
Q3?1CWAA
a Ok
ool
004
YOU
KEPT
i N SECTS
AWAY
S9A3
noA
Now you are ready to play.
The way to win is to get all your stones across to the other
side. The first player to do this wins.
44
How to play
The first player moves one stone one square.
You must only move one square at a time.
You can move one square forward.
You can move one square to the side.
You can move one square forward diagonally.
Like this:
You can't move into a square with a cross on it.
You can move into the square marked FEVER.
You must not move backwards.
When you have a turn you can move any stone you like.
You must only move ONE stone each turn.
45
When the first player has moved a stone, the second player
has a turn.
Both players take turns to move one stone one square.
You can't put two stones on one square.
If you can't move any of your stones one square, you miss
a turn. Sometimes you may miss two or three turns before
you can move again I
When one of your stones gets to the other side, you can't
move it again.
You have won when all your stones have been moved to
the other side on to the good squares - these are the ones
with writing on them. When you move your last stone on to
a good square, you shout FEVER! This tells the other
player that you have won I
46
REMEMBER
WHEN CHILDREN HAVE FEVER:
° We wash their body in cool water.
o We clean their eyes.
® We give them small drinks often.
° We give them a little soft food often.
° We keep insects away.
° We talk to them and keep them happy.
• Wekeepthem QUIET, COOLAND CLEAN!
IFTHEY HAVE PUFFING FEVER:
° We tell the Health Worker at once.
• We do all the things for fever.
• We hold a cloth forthem when they cough.
® We burn the pieces of cloth.
® We help them sit up.
• WE ALWAYS WASH OUR HANDS!
47
The CHILD-to-child stories are edited by Pauletta
Edwards, illustrated by Joan Gammans and written
by a group of teachers and doctors:
Ken Cripwell
Pauletta Edwards
Shan Griffith Pinna
Colette Hawes
Hugh Hawes
Keith Lowe
Augustine Veliath
David Morley
What is CHILD-to-child?
CHILD-to-child is an International
Programme which teaches and encourages
children of school age to concern
themselves with the health, welfare and
general development of their younger pre
school brothers and sisters and of other
younger children in their community.
Each of the stories in this series of readers is
based on the CHILD-to-child concept of
one child helping another.
It is hoped too that children will read these
stories to their younger brothers and sisters
thus giving practical expression to the
CHILD-to-child idea.
THE PUBLISHERS RECEIVED ASSISTANCE IN THE PRODUCTION OF
THIS BOOK AS A LOW COST EDITION FROM THE SWEDISH
INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY.
48
CHILD to child Readers
ISBN □-Sfl2-acJ51D-3
9 780582 895102
The CHILD-to-child Primary Health Readers have been developed to
teach and encourage primary school children in Africa to become
concerned-with the health and general development of their pre
school brothers and sisters. Each book has been written by an
experienced educationalist in conjunction with a panel of medical
and language specialists. The books have been graded into two
reading levels, and eacii deals with a different health topic of
relevance to children in Africa.
The readers can be used as an integral part of a primary Science,
Social Studies, Environmental Science, Home Economics or Health
Science curriculum.
Down with Fever is a Level2/fearferwhich highlights the dangers of
pneumonia. The book emphasises the importance of early
treatment, and shows the important part older children can play in
fighting the illness.
Other books in the series:
Level 1
Level 2
Dirty Water Teaching Thomas
Good Food A Simple Cure
Accidents
Longman 555
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