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20
SPASTIC CHILDREN
Cerebral palsy has, for some considerable time, been the subject of
intensive research. The fact that little was known about it has made it
difficult to cope with. The condition arises from an injury to the brain
before, during or after birth, and from other causes which are somewhat in
doubt, and may render it difficult for a child to either stand, walk, speak,
or use its hands. The evident physical infirmity which is frequently very
gross, has contributed to the belief, in the past, that the children concerned
were mental defectives. When such an opinion was accepted, the mental
anguish caused to adults unfortunately so afflicted, bearing in mind that in
the majority of cases their intelligence was unimpaired, cannot be readily
appreciated.
As foreshadowed in my last Annual Report, the No. 4 (Chelsea) Group
Hospital Management Committee opened an experimental non-resident treatment
centre for Spastic Children at 6l, Cheyne Walk, S.W.3.
In 1952 the need for the establishment of such a centre in south-western
London was investigated, but for financial reasons it was not possible to go
ahead with the work. It is most gratifying to record that funds for the
foundation of the Centre were forthcoming from many directions, including the
King Edward Hospital Fund for London, The London Parochial Charities, and the
William Johnston Yapp Trust, as well as a large number of generous private
donors. Ultimately approximately £20,000 was subscribed. The day-to-day
financial maintenance is provided by the South-West Metropolitan Regional
Hospital Board.
The development of the Centre is planned in three phases, which are as
follows:-
Phase I - To establish on the ground floor of Cheyne Hospital
for children, a 'Day out-patients diagnostic treatment centre'
for children between the ages of 0 and 5 or 6 years suffering
from cerebral palsy. The remaining phases cannot be achieved
until the whole of Cheyne Hospital is returned to hospital use,
and to some extent overlap each other and are not necessarily
in chronological order. This particular phase came into
operation on 5th April, 1955.
Phase II - This is the duplication upon the first floor of the
hospital of the facilities provided in Phase I.
Phase III- This is the provision upon other floors of Cheyne
Hospital of (a) some accommodation for mothers and babies for
short periods of residence, and (b) the establishment of a
research centre into the causes, treatment and prevention of
cerebral palsy.
From the first six-monthly report covering the period April to September,
1955, it has been ascertained that seventeen children were accepted for full
treatment, i.e., Physiotherapy, Speech Therapy and Schooling, whilst eleven
children are receiving treatment for Physiotherapy only. The latest figures
indicate that there are twenty-eight full-time patients, and seventeen other
patients attending by appointment.