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(b) measures to meet the child's special needs for education or for recreation
may be planned in advance;
(c) the child is followed-up through the health visiting service so that
necessary treatment is given at the appropriate time and the child is
not lost to sight because of lack of interest or ability of the mother,
through change of address, or for any other reason.
During the period 1st April, 1965 to 31st December, 1965, the number of babies
notified as being congenitally malformed at birth was 84. Approximately 25% of
children born during the period under review were notified as at risk.
Impaired hearing in young children.
Standard screening tests for hearing of babies and young children were carried
out by medical staff with special training in this work. Any child thought to have
had impaired hearing was referred, with the consent of the general practitioner, to
the Council's otologist for further examination. The names of such children were
added to the handicapped register.
Young children with impaired hearing who required a hearing environment
and children who failed to acquire speech because their parents were deaf or because
of language difficulties in the home, were, on the recommendation of the otologist,
permitted to attend day nurseries for three hour sessions: no charge was made.
Phenylketonuria.
Screening tests for the detection of phenylketonuria using " Phenistix " reagent
strips were carried out routinely on all young babies: those thought to be at special
risk were re-tested. All " positive " and "doubtful negative " results were checked
by ferric-chloride test and referred to the hospital service for further examination if
necessary. No case of phenylketonuria was found during the period under review.
Day Nurseries
Day nurseries are provided for the day care of children under the age of five
years: admissions are in accordance with a system of priorities: see Appendix "A".
In July it was necessary to close a nursery because of its structural unsoundness.
Children in the first priority group were transferred to other nurseries within the
Borough.
The severely subnormal children under five years of age who attended the two
special units (18 places) greatly benefited from the special care and attention of the
staff and, where appropriate, contact with the other children in the nursery.
Deaf children, children of deaf parents or other children likely to benefit from
a hearing environment were also allowed to attend day nurseries for up to three
hours a day. Blind or partially sighted children were also permitted to attend if it
was considered that mixing with sighted children might help them.
The number of handicapped children in each day nursery was strictly limited
to prevent the ratio of handicapped to non-handicapped rising too steeply and
thereby defeating the purpose of the provision.
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