The reason for the poor appetite may be because the child is kept indoors too long, or because it is being fed on unsuitable food, or is living in unsanitary surroundings, or many other reasons, sometimes trifling reasons, may cause it. When a child will not eat at meal time, the mother feels that it should eat sometime, so she encourages it to eat between meals, and because of a mistaken kindness she breaks the law of regularity,--a law that can never be broken without serious results following. A child in this condition becomes a disturber of the peace; the parents can do nothing with him; he insists on eating just what he likes and when he likes; and he chooses, as a rule, candy, cake, pastries, ice cream, tea, coffee. Indigestion follows, the child loses weight, is languid and listless and constipated. When finally the physician is called in he finds it necessary to go back to first principles. He lays down the law in a definite, stern way, and the mother and the child must obey. Most parents know and admit they are doing wrong to give in to a whimsical child, and if they would only make up their minds to conquer when conquering is easy they would save themselves many heartaches, many regrets, and the child much suffering and much possible permanent injury as a consequence. Usually one parent is willing to be master but the other lacks the mental equipment to meet the issue, and argues, as he or she imagines, in favor of the child. The parent whose instinct is correct, whose judgment is true, whose interpretation of the situation is just, should not be dissuaded, or argued away from his or her duty. If it is the first real problem in your domestic experience in which a decided stand must be made, make it without fear and without hesitation, and carry it through to the bitter end. Results will justify and vindicate you. The general treatment of these children will be found outlined in the following paragraph on Loss of Appetite.