View report page

32
to complete this work by the end of the year, and those remaining will be dealt with in the early
part of 1935.
All children are being tested by both air conduction and bone conduction and audiograms
made. A certain number are also being tested with calibrated tuning forks and the 4A gramophone
audiometer to compare the results of the three methods.
From the examinations already made, some very interesting and important facts are being
revealed, but this will form the subject of a report when all the children have been tested.
Stammering children.
At the eight centres maintained for the treatment of stammerers a total of 373
children attended during the year ; of these, 91 were discharged as cured, while 66,
many of whom had greatly improved, left for various reasons.
The arrangements are on the following lines (i) each child attends twice
weekly for periods of 50 minutes each; (ii) each group of children is limited to 9; and
(iii) 3 groups are dealt with by the same instructress on each half day.
Dr. E. J. Boome states that he is more than ever convinced that stammering
is curable, in spite of the length of time taken in certain cases, and he reiterates the
importance of never giving up a case. He has reported as follows:—
It has frequently been found advisable when a child has been attending a centre for a long
time to discharge him temporarily so soon as he shows sufficient signs of improvement to warrant
this. The confidence engendered will often result in a further advance after which another
short term at the centre may complete the cure. This system of temporary discharge from a
centre is now being applied to those cases that are still lacking in self-confidence although they
have practically ceased to stammer. If the child realises that he can return to the centre at a
moment's notice, he feels a sense of security which increases his confidence. An instance
occurred recently in which a boy A., who had really ceased to stammer, was obviously alarmed
at the thought of leaving the centre. It was found that another boy at A's school, who was
due to leave school shortly was badly in need of treatment but there was no vacancy at the
centre. A was asked to give up his place to his school fellow for one term, but was told that
the vacancy would be kept for him. By the end of the term A had realised that he was " self
supporting " and required no further help. Later reports confirmed the completeness of A's
cure.
A further advance has been made in the study and practice of relaxation and its effects
on conditions other than stammering are proving to be more far reaching with the growth of
experience. Enuresis, for instance, appears to yield to treatment by relaxation with remarkable
rapidity. In fact it very seldom persists in these stammerers beyond the first month of
attendance at a centre.
It is more than ever apparent, however, that complete relaxation can only be taught by
those who themselves have mastered the art, and who understand the psychological and
physiological processes involved. As there continues to be a large number of applicants wishing
to avail themselves of the facilities offered by the Council for experience in the treatment of
stammerers, it is now being realized that attendance alone at a centre—although essential to
the student—is not sufficient training. This has been particularly demonstrated by the more
mature and experienced students who complained of the lack of systematised training.
An experimental course of one year was therefore initiated to supply this need and a
beginning was made in September, 1934, with six students. This course is in no way intended
to be a full training for the beginner. It is essentially a supplementary course for those with
orevious experience in dealing with children. The right personality and suitability generally
for this type of work were taken into consideration when approving candidates.
In order that these students may get the greatest possible advantage from their year's
course, it is considered advisable to transfer them from one centre to another at stated intervals.
Visits have been made to the centres by individuals from all parts of the world interested
in the treatment of stammering.
Left-handedness in children.
The existence of a number of children who appear to be naturally left-handed
and the effects upon them of attempts to correct what appears to be a disadvantage
in a world consisting mainly of right-handed persons have always been of great
interest to school hygienists.
The question has become rather prominent during the last three or four years
owing to the struggle for work which has resulted from wide-spread unemployment.
There has, in consequence, been a general demand on the part of the teachers
in London for guidance on the subject. Mr. G. E. Wear of the Ministry of Labour