Troublesome Tot discussed: Problems of Children Are Cited by Pediatrician

              Children who get into trouble are usually trying to solve problems, not to create them, a leading pediatrician said here Tuesday.
Dr. T. R. Pfunt, associate professor in the department of-pediatrics at Louisiana State university medical school, said that a child often causes trouble when he attempts to solve a problem.
"Children have temper tantrums," he said, "when they don't know how to solve a problem. The father can go out and get drunk, but the child can't. He cries and kicks his feet on the floor.
"Later, as an adolescent, the child tries to overcome his frustrations in other ways that may be 'troublesome.' What is needed is more understanding by the parent."
Dr. Pfunt took part in the second-day sessions at the Community Assembly on Chronic Illness. The meeting, sponsored by the Tuberculosis Association of Greater New Orleans, continues Wednesday in City Hall.
Chronic illness is not the exclusive property of old persons, he said, citing some long-continued conditions in children that are also chronic; convulsions, mental retardation, cleft lip or palate and blood diseases.
Dr. Pfunt particularly stressed the emotional problems to which the young are i susceptible.
"I feuve found cases of peptic ulcers in two-year-old children," he said. "These ulcers show the intensity with which children react to stresses usually thought of in terms of adults."
It is the insecure child, he said, that often manifests chronic emotion problems.
"Actually, $, child who has a physical or a mental handicap can bounce hack," he said, "as long as there is something for him to hang on to. A child needs love and he needs success. A retarded child who learns to do a simple thing well becomes much more manageable. He is more at peace with his world."
Dr. Pfunt suggested that doctors treating children will need to develop their counselling service to help prevent emotional problems.
At the morning panel, Dr. Maurice Jeffery, chief of arthritis service at the Tulane university medical school, said that proper treatment could help most people suffer!  * with arth-
ritis.
"Doctors must treat the whole patient," he said, "not just feed him a tablet,"
This treatment calls for proper diet, rest and physiotheraphy to strengthen the muscles thai protect the joints.
"Doctors must correct the impression that many people have that they can 'work arthritis out,' " he said, "The person with arthritis needs to res1 these joints. Improper exercising can cause harm."
Dr. Louis Cabiran, senior visiting physician at Charity hos-pltal, said that the emphasis in fighting tuberculosis must be shifted from detection to "complete eradication once and forever."
He said that early antibiotic theraphy could arrest tuberculosis in 100 per cent of the cases.
Tuesday's   afternoon   session
was devoted to a study of "The Scope of Chronic Alcoholism." Panelists included Dr. Gene il Usdin, H. J. Walters, John Bobear, Mrs. Florence Wallace and Sue Arnoult.