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The staff employed on this work was increased in 1952 and at the end of the year
comprised, under the supervision of a senior assistant medical officer, one senior speech
therapist, eight whole-time and four part-time speech therapists and two employed
on a sessional basis.
Remedial exercise classes
Special classes to correct foot defects, before they develop into permanent disabilities,
were introduced in 1948. They are held mainly in primary schools, mostly for children
in their last year in the school and are taken by a class teacher who has attended a course
given by the Council's consultant on postural defects Dr. Doris Baker, and the senior
inspectors of physical education of the Education Officer's department. A refresher
course was held in December, 1952. The general medical supervision of the classes is
undertaken by one assistant medical officer in each division who is also responsible for
selecting the children and for their discharge on improvement. Dr. Baker visits each
class at least once during each year.
Difficulties are experienced in holding the classes owing to shortages of staff and
accommodation. Because of these difficulties the number of classes dropped from 74 to
65 during the year.
Handicapped children
7,238 examinations were made during the year to determine whether special educational
treatment should be provided or whether it should be discontinued.

In addition to these examinations, 414 children were considered with regard to the
need for special educational treatment as maladjusted pupils and four as diabetic pupils.
Table 17 in the appendix gives details of the results.
Furthermore, pupils in special schools or units were examined to ensure that the
special educational treatment they were receiving was still suitable to their disability.
Epileptic children
To obtain some idea of the number of epileptic school children in the County, a central
register has been kept since January, 1951, and school physicians have been asked to
notify all cases of epilepsy that they come across in the course of their work, stating the
type of fit and the education provided. Where special educational treatment is considered
necessary the children are seen at the County Hall by a medical officer. The
consultants at hospitals, particularly at the Maudsley and National Hospitals, have been
most co-operative in carrying out special investigations and reporting on them. At
the end of the year there were 350 names on the register. Of these 214 were in ordinary
schools, 30 in day schools for educationally sub-normal children, 27 in day schools
for physically handicapped children and 58 in boarding schools for epileptics. This
does not represent all the epileptic children in London schools as there are still some in
ordinary schools who have yet to be notified.
Considerable work has been necessary to gain for these children the sympathy and
help which they need if they are to establish themselves in the community. The
Council's medico-social workers have been particularly helpful in the many social
problems presented by these children and the British Epilepsy Association has helped
many parents, while the Council's youth employment officer has been most cooperative
in the difficult task of fitting children leaving school into suitable employment.
These children present one of the most difficult problems of social medicine where all
agencies, medical, educational and social have to work closely together to achieve
success.