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35
Under the Notification of Births Acts, early information is
received in the Health Department of births which have taken place,
and when the doctor or midwife has ceased to attend, a call is made
by the Health Visitor, who thus has an early opportunity of advising
the mother in regard to the feeding, clothing, and general management
of the infant. Every encouragement is given the mother to
attend an Infant Welfare Centre. As a routine every child from
birth to 2 years is visited quarterly and every child between 2 and
5 years at least half-yearly. Where a child between 2 and 5 years
has a brother or sister under 2 years the toddler gets quarterly visits
as well. Special extra visits are paid to children of any age where
the circumstances appear to warrant it.
The Health Visitors duties also comprise the following:—
(a) Visits to expectant mothers who have made application for
admission to the Municipal Maternity Home, Lewisham
Hospital and other Hospitals, as well as to those whose
confinements are to take place in their own homes.
(b) Enquiries into cases of puerperal fever, ophthalmia neonatorum
and certain other infectious diseases.
(c) Enquiries into infant deaths including still-births.
(d) Enquiries into applications for assisted milk.
(e) Enquiries into applications for Home Helps.
Each Health Visitor, in addition to her district visiting, attends
4 to 6 clinics a week either at Voluntary Infant Welfare Centres or
at the Municipal Clinics.