Proclamation 4862—Child Health Day

We have all heard the saying, "As the twig is bent the tree inclines." This maxim is especially true for the minds and bodies of our children. The physical and mental health of the child prepares the way for the physical and mental health of the adult.

Our future as a Nation lies in the healthy development of our children. That development must be fostered from the earliest stages so that our twigs and saplings will grow into straight and strong trees.

We must actively promote child health through the positive approach of preventive care, such as early prenatal care for mothers, assured immunization against dangerous childhood illnesses and early identification of handicapping conditions.

In this effort to improve the well-being and future of our children, I earnestly call for cooperative and voluntary action from all those who make maternal and child health their profession, from the States through their health care resources, from the organizations of private citizens who devote themselves to the health of mothers and children, and particularly from parents themselves, whose attention to their children's needs and personal examples of healthful behavior are vital factors in the protection of child health.

Now, Therefore, I, Ronald Reagan, President of the United States of America, pursuant to a joint resolution of May 18, 1928, as amended (36 U.S.C. 143), do hereby proclaim Monday, October 5, 1981, as Child Health Day.

In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 28th day of Sept., in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and eightyone, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and sixth.

RONALD REAGAN