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Many children, unfortunately, who have passed the age
limit for Infant Welfare Clinics are frequently in need of help for
physical or nervous defects. Others are brought up for some
reason of management by mothers who have been trained to seek
expert advice by their earlier use of the Infant Welfare Clinic. The
necessary appointment can be made by reference to any Health
Visitor who will arrange a visit as soon as possible.
Two hundred and eighty-two examinations were made in all,
and many of the children were referred to hospital for special
treatment or to the Solarium for the tonic effect of ultra-violet
light. When such treatment did not appear to be sufficient, the
children were sent away to the country or seaside for a varying
period of time. If the patient needed a doctor's care, enquiries
were always made about the family doctor, and if the family
possessed one a letter was sent to him giving details of the examination.
RHEUMATISM CLINIC.
Every case of rheumatism in a child, which has been reported
in the borough, has been visited by one of the Health Visitors,
who has made enquiries into the form of supervision which that
child has been granted. To the large majority of such children,
who have suffered from one or more attacks of acute rheumatism or
chorea, supervision is provided by the London County Council at
special Rheumatism Supervisory Clinics. Some parents, however,
find it difficult to attend these Clinics and have been glad to avail
themselves of the Borough Clinic. At this clinic, advice as to
exercise, games, swimming, school and homework has been given,
and close co-operation with the London County Council School
Medical Service has been attained. When progress has not been
satisfactory, or when a new acute attack has interfered with the
normal life, rapid steps have been taken to send the child to a
suitable hospital or home in the country. When parents have
preferred to keep the child at home, the family doctor has been
informed of the previous history, and the follow up convalescence
has been carried out at the clinic.