Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Heston and Isleworth]
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(d). Epileptic Children.
Definition.—These are children, excluding idiots and imbeciles,
who are unfit by reason of severe epilepsy to attend the ordinary
public elementary schools.
Powers of Committee.—The Elementary Education (Defective
and Epileptic) Act, 1899, gives the Education Authority power
to provide special schools for epileptic children.
Number.—I have examined five children stated to be epileptic.
Two of these have since entered institutions for epileptic children,
one is suitable only for an epileptic colony, as he is mentally
defective as well as epileptic, the fourth attends school between
the fits, which occur about once every three months, and in the
fifth I considered the fits to be hysterical and not epileptic in
character.
(e). Deaf Children.
Definition.—These are children whe are too deaf to be
taught in a class of hearing children in an elementary echool.
Duty of Education Committee.—The Education Committee
must make provision for the education of deaf children resident
in their district.
Number .—I have examined sixteen cases presented by the teachers, and beg to classify these as follows:—
Boys. | Girls. | Total. | |
---|---|---|---|
Totally deaf | — | 1 | 1 |
Suitable for hard of hearing class | 4 | 5 | 9 |
Suitable for ordinary school | 2 | 4 | 6 |
In addition there is one child, Hubbard, who is at present
at a school for the Deaf and Dumb at a cost to the Committee
of £28 per annum, the parent contributing 2/- a week to his
upkeep.
Class.—As deafness is a very serious drawback in after life,
and as a child who is "hard of hearing" loses ground at school
through missing much that is said, I would recommend that a
"hard of hearing" class be established for the above nine children.
A teacher for a class of "hard of hearing" children cannot
take more than ten such pupils.