Freud_Burlingham_1943_War_and_Children_k_text

would not stop when he was dressing or eating,going up or downstairs. He refused mostkinds of food but would drink milk plentifully.We were shocked to see an apparentlyhealthy child develop a compulsive tie underour very eyes. All attempts to get in contactwith him were unsatisfactory. Not thatit was impossible to break in on his compulsivebehaviour with understanding words, affectionand sympathy. But in such moments,instead of reiterating his false assurances, hewould break through to the truth, burst intotears and develop an excess of grief that onefelt at a loss how to meet.From the second day on we had made attemptsto reach his mother and induce her tovisit him regularly. Unluckily again she hadfallen ill with a bad influenza and was lying ina hospital. A Sunday afternoon visit from hisfather did not bring the slightest comfort. Ittook more than a week before his mother wasdismissed from the hospital. She came immediatelyto us. We discussed the situationwith her and persuaded her to stay in ourhouse for a while.The aspect of Patrick's state changed immediately.He dropped his symptom and insteadclung to his mother with the utmosttenacity. For several days and nights hewould hardly leave her side. Whenever she101