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102
dents in Greenwich were "at risk", although fortunately the
majority developed normally. At the end of 1967 there were 1,869
children listed in the register compared with 1,486 at 31st December,
1966.
Handicapped Register
At 31st December, 1967, there were 507 children under the age
of five years listed in the register. Some idea of their conditions
can be seen from the following table :—
Physically handicapped 316
Mentally handicapped 100
Spina Bifida 13
Limb deformities 2
Sight defects 10
Hearing defects 13
Dual handicaps 46
Battered babies? 7
This register is subject to regular review by a Medical Officer
and an Assistant Nursing Officer to ensure that a child and its
family are receiving all necessary support and guidance in their
daily problems and that plans may be made for future educational
and recreational needs. With regard to these latter points, this
department is assisting the Research and Intelligence Unit of the
G.L.C. in its survey into the occurrence of spina bifida (q.v.) which
was initiated at the end of 1966 and is still continuing.
In the case of children who are so severely handicapped that they
will obviously require community services after school leaving age,
the appropriate social workers are introduced to the family,
although day to day support is given by health visitors during
infancy and social workers (Personal Health Services) during school
days.
Visits by a few parents of mongol babies to Maze Hill Centre
soon after the births of their infants proved to be one encouraging
development established during the year. This innovation which
was welcomed by the Head Teacher of the Centre, the Mental
Health Workers and Health Visitors, gave great encouragement to
parents, who were able to see at first hand and early in the lives of
their infants, the opportunities for training and education that are
now available for mentally handicapped children.
A disturbing feature of the register for 1967 is the inclusion of
7 infants who may be suffering from the "battered baby" syndrome".
It has now been realised that some of the infants who
appear in hospital casualty departments suffering from fractures,