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The audiology unit is centrally situated in the Borough and babies first diagnosed there as
having impaired hearing can be followed up in school or special school. New cases occurring
during the school years can be referred to the Unit either as a result of the screening tests at the
age of seven years or from the school medical examinations, routine or special.
HEARING AIDS
The total number of pupils still on the register of schools at 31st December 1970 known to
have been provided with hearing aids during 1970 was 13.

There were also 209 (229—1969) children requiring observation. These children were referred
to the Department's speech therapists who had a total of 166 children under treatment during the
year. Children are always seen by the school medical officers in the first instance before referral.
Many of these children were under treatment from previous years. A temporary shortage of speech
therapists caused some accumulation of cases and it was necessary to ask medical officers to be
selective in referring cases for several months leaving the remainder to be referred later.
It is obvious that there are many other children who ought to have some speech therapy
treatment, but were not reported because it was known that only the most urgent cases could be
seen.