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103
viously employed of assessing the educability and educational needs of
all known cases as soon as this could reasonably be undertaken; lastly,
that each epileptic child should receive special consideration as to
employment needs at the school-leaving medical examination, and
for the young person to consult the Youth Employment Officer with
a view to registration as a Disabled Person where this is thought to be
necessary.
The British Epilepsy Association arranges an annual holiday for
those epileptic children whose parents cannot make other arrangements
for them to have a holiday. Through the school health service two
children from this Area were nominated and accepted, and spent two
weeks' holiday at Eversley Hall, Brackley, Northants.
Physically Handicapped Pupils
During 1955 work was begun on the new medical unit at the School
for Physically Handicapped Children, Vale Road, Tottenham. When
completed this will consist of a medical examination room (both for
routine inspections and for diagnostic interviews), an orthopaedic
room and a room for speech therapy. In the past all this has been done
in one room.
Dr. W. F. Dunham, Medical Director of the Spastic Unit at the
School, gave a talk to the medical and health visiting/school nursing
staff in May on the early diagnosis of cerebral palsy. The spastic unit
is completely full and Dr. Dunham has submitted the following account
of progress in this field:—
"Out of the total of 93 pupils at the school, 27 have cerebral palsy,
and of these only five now receive treatment outside the school.
As always, our aim has been to obtain from each child, though the
collaboration of all who in any way influence his behaviour, the best
performance of which he is capable. "Therapy", therefore, must
mean that teachers, instructors and parents, as well as therapists must
appreciate what are the child's physical capabilities, and must so enlist
his interest and, where necessary, so help him, that his achievements
are the best possible to him at that time. In this, there has been a most
happy collaboration between teachers, instructors and medical staff.
Where appropriate, the children take part in woodwork, metal-work,
cookery and swimming. For school work, furniture of exactly the
right size for each child has been made, and this is altered as necessary
as the child grows. This provides the child with a secure sitting posture
and so makes his work easier, helps him to learn to steady his trunk
for standing and walking, and discourages the development of deformity.
Collaboration with the parents has been achieved both at medical
clinics and by visits (both in term time and in the holidays) by the
Therapist, Miss Wilson, who joined the school at the beginning of the
autumn term to replace Mrs. Kinnaird who has left to take up an
appointment elsewhere.
An interesting experiment, carried out with the collaboration of the
Crowland Secondary Modern School has been the enlistment of some