View report page

17
FOLLOWING-UP.
Defects of all kinds discovered at the routine medical inspections
are noted on the inspection cards. From these cards the nurses, in
attendance with the Medical Officer at the inspections, copy the Medical
Officer's observations on a following-up card, which is retained by the
nurse for her remarks. The Medical Officer, at the time of inspection,
hands to the parent, or has conveyed to him, an intimation of the nature
of the defect discovered, with a request that the private doctor should be
consulted. This intimation and request applies only to such ailments as
require medical supervision or treatment.
Adequate time is given for the private medical practitioner to be
consulted before the nurse visits the home of the child. It is then ascertained
whether a doctor has been consulted and with what result. If
nothing effective has been done, an invitation is sent inviting the child to
attend the appropriate clinic. The nurse visits the home and emphasises
the importance of early attention to the defect. In the great majority of
cases the clinic is attended and the malady treated to a satisfactory conclusion.
Irregularity of attendance at clinics is followed by home visitation.
This regime is applicable to cases in which exclusion from school
is advised. In those conditions, which allow of attendance at school
while treatment proceeds, the "following-up" is done with the aid of the
head teacher of the school who, by reference to the clinic attendance
card, learns the date upon which the next visit to the clinic is due and
allows time off for that purpose. Occasionally it happens that parents
will do nothing themselves for the relief of the child's condition, nor will
they allow the school authorities to do anything. In these circumstances,
the question is taken into consideration whether the child should be
allowed to remain at school. The question arises especially in connection
with visual defects. If the ophthalmic surgeon is of opinion that the use
of the eyes, unaided by spectacles, would be injurious to the child, the
teacher is instructed to exclude it until the child is supplied with suitable
glasses. Every reasonable facility is afforded to the parents to
take advantage of the School Medical Services in having appropriate
treatment for the visual defect of the child.
Every week the head teachers supply to the Health Department a
list of children absent from their department suffering from contagious
or infectious diseases These are "followed-up" by the School Nurses.
The Attendance Officer informs the Medical Department of cases of