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an Audiology Unit which will be concerned with the speech training
of infants under two years of age, in co-operation with their parents.
Although the Education Committee provides special educational
treatment for deaf and partially deaf children from the age of two
years, early diagnosis and parental co-operation in speech training of
even younger children are essential to obtaining the best results.
Delay in establishing such a unit has arisen because of the shortage
of trained teachers in this work ; but the matter is still under consideration
by the Borough of Tottenham Education Committee.
Orthopaedic Service
The orthopaedic clinics, as in previous years, are attended by the
visiting orthopaedic specialists, appointed by the Regional Hospital
Boards, as follows :—
Lordship Lane : Mr. E. Hambly, M B., F.R.C.S.
Hornsey Town Hall: Mr. G. Rigby-Jones, M.C., M B., F.R.C.S.
Children are referred to these clinics as a result of routine medical
inspections in schools or from minor ailments clinics, and following
the advice of the orthopaedic specialists arrangements are made for
remedial exercises and physiotherapy.
Chiropody Service
This useful medical auxiliary service has been continued for the
priority classes of mothers and school children. Details of attendances
and conditions treated are set out in a table in the Appendix to this
report.
A chiropody service for aged persons is conducted on school health
service premises at Lordship Lane by arrangement with the Tottenham
Old People's Welfare Committee. It is known, however, that there is
a long waiting list and once again the Committee's attention is drawn
to the apparent need for expansion of this worth-while service.
Speech Therapy
Work has continued without interruption during 1953. Through the
co-operation of doctors and health visitors, about a quarter of the
children referred during the year were under five years of age. This
has given invaluable opportunities for reassurance and guidance to
mothers, even where the child is too young for direct treatment, as
failure of their children's speech to measure up to normal standards
is a major source of anxiety.
Early referral is of particular importance in cases of stammering.
The older the child, the more lengthy becomes his treatment, on
account of habit factors and the development of secondary symptoms.
The problem of adequate testing for an intermittent difficulty, and the
possibility of serious deterioration in even an initially slight case should
be kept in mind.
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