2007年VOA标准英语-Kangaroo Moms Provide Example of How to Keep In

By William Eagle
Washington
04 July 2007

In Africa, experts say the deaths of thousands of infants each year from low body temperature, or hypothermia, pneumonia¹ and other illnesses that can strike a child within days of delivery. One way that’s gaining in popularity in the southern African country of Malawi is keeping a child close to the chest of the mother and other adults. From Washington, reporter William Eagle has the story.

Infants need to be warm and well fed. And that, say experts, is the beauty of “Kangaroo Mother Care,” named after the Australian animal that keeps its newborns in its pouch² – close to its body – for over a year.

The child is placed in a cloth or sling³ that’s wrapped around the mother’s chest, where there’s plenty of warmth and breast milk is within reach.

Mary Beth Power of the group Save the Children says in many African countries, children are carried on their parents’ backs. Kangaroo Mother Care is simply a reversal of the idea:

"For low birth weight infants,"she said,"skin-to-skin contact is very important – it helps regulate the baby’s body temperature, so if its temperature starts to drop, a mother will run a fever to keep a baby warm. It’s been documented before. So skin-to-skin contact can help that baby maintain its body heat and not burn off calories trying to keep warm – which is really dangerous for the low birth-weight infant. "

Being wrapped inside the clothes of the mother makes it easier to feed and protects the child against infection. It’s less exposed to the potential of infection because it is tightly wound with the mother, and it can breast feed. Early breast milk is the first vaccination⁴ for babies from disease. So it is an innovative⁵ technique, even though it is ancient technique, to keep babies healthy.

Jean Russell is Save the Children’s deputy country director for Malawi in Lilongwe. She says the Kangaroo Mother Care technique is being taught in hospitals and at the community level to fathers, grandmothers and other adults. Health experts hope to counteract⁶ some practices that can lead to hypothermia among children:

"There are some cultural practices that are not helpful. [For example], there is more attention paid to the mother at birth: [in home deliveries], the baby is put on the floor," she said.

"[Also, in communities], when a baby is in distress⁷, traditionally they are put in cardboard box and taken to the hospital, where they might get hypothermia on way. "

"Babies can quickly become hypothermic. [So it’s important for] immediate⁸ drying with a cloth, using another to wrap the baby and keeping the baby close to the mother and sleeping with the mother. These are important practices. "

Russell adds that mothers who can afford it put wool hats on their infants – a practice that helps the babies retain warmth.

Mary Beth Power of Save the Children says there’s another cultural practice that can lead to hypothermia in infants.

She says it usually takes place immediately after delivery.

"In many countries," she said,"there is a feeling that the baby is polluted through the birth process, so families are often required by local custom to bathe that baby. But the early bathing of babies scrubs off the protective coating called the vernix on the newborn’s skin. It also exposes the [infant] to cold water, which would increase the chances of it getting hyperthermia."

So, we have been able to show that it would be easy to change that cultural practice and encourage the parents to wait to bathe the baby. Just wipe the baby and wrap the baby. That often stimulates⁹ a baby whose breathing was maybe not sufficient at birth. Then, swaddle or cuddle the baby and begin breast-feeding immediately. Those are important interventions¹⁰ to protect the newborn.

Health care experts say another simple way to reduce the chances of illness in newborns is to use a clean instrument when cutting the umbilical cord. Unclean ones can lead to tetanus – a serious problem because many pregnant women don’t get a tetanus vaccination.

Many health-related NGOs may be able to provide clean birthing kits¹¹ that include the supplies needed for safe deliveries.

1 pneumonia   

n.肺炎

参考例句：

• Cage was struck with pneumonia in her youth.凯奇年轻时得过肺炎。
• Pneumonia carried him off last week.肺炎上星期夺去了他的生命。

2 pouch   

n.小袋，小包，囊状袋；vt.装...入袋中，用袋运输；vi.用袋送信件

参考例句：

• He was going to make a tobacco pouch out of them. 他要用它们缝制一个烟草袋。
• The old man is always carrying a tobacco pouch with him.这老汉总是随身带着烟袋。

3 sling   

vt.扔；悬挂；n.挂带；吊索，吊兜；弹弓

参考例句：

• The boy discharged a stone from a sling.这个男孩用弹弓射石头。
• By using a hoist the movers were able to sling the piano to the third floor.搬运工人用吊车才把钢琴吊到3楼。

4 vaccination   

n.接种疫苗，种痘

参考例句：

• Vaccination is a preventive against smallpox.种痘是预防天花的方法。
• Doctors suggest getting a tetanus vaccination every ten years.医生建议每十年注射一次破伤风疫苗。

5 innovative   

adj.革新的，新颖的，富有革新精神的

参考例句：

• Discover an innovative way of marketing.发现一个创新的营销方式。
• He was one of the most creative and innovative engineers of his generation.他是他那代人当中最富创造性与革新精神的工程师之一。

6 counteract   

vt.对…起反作用，对抗，抵消

参考例句：

• The doctor gave him some medicine to counteract the effect of the poison.医生给他些药解毒。
• Our work calls for mutual support.We shouldn't counteract each other's efforts.工作要互相支持，不要互相拆台。

7 distress   

n.苦恼，痛苦，不舒适；不幸；vt.使悲痛

参考例句：

• Nothing could alleviate his distress.什么都不能减轻他的痛苦。
• Please don't distress yourself.请你不要忧愁了。

8 immediate   

adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的

参考例句：

• His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
• We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。

9 stimulates   

v.刺激( stimulate的第三人称单数 )；激励；使兴奋；起兴奋作用，起刺激作用，起促进作用

参考例句：

• Exercise stimulates the body. 运动促进身体健康。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Alcohol stimulates the action of the heart. 酒刺激心脏的活动。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

10 interventions   

n.介入，干涉，干预( intervention的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Economic analysis of government interventions deserves detailed discussion. 政府对经济的干预应该给予充分的论述。 来自辞典例句
• The judge's frequent interventions made a mockery of justice. 法官的屡屡干预是对正义的践踏。 来自互联网

11 kits   

衣物和装备( kit的名词复数 )； 成套用品； 配套元件

参考例句：

• Keep your kits closed and locked when not in use. 不用的话把你的装备都锁好放好。
• Gifts Articles, Toy and Games, Wooden Toys, Puzzles, Craft Kits. 采购产品礼品，玩具和游戏，木制的玩具，智力玩具，手艺装备。