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Sometimes, however, direct action is necessary. For instance, if the breathing
is obstructed by enlarged adenoids the doctor will be called in. If the teeth are
too crowded, or misplaced, then judicious extractions may be made. If teeth are
growing askew then appliances may be fitted to re-direct their growth.
All asymmetry in the teeth is bad. Minor degrees prevent proper biting and
chewing and may lead to dirty and carious teeth and even poor digestion. Major
degrees, such as protruding front teeth, are often the cause of much unnecessary
misery as a child grows into self-consciousness. The whole personality of a child
can be stunted and warped by unsightly teeth. Nothing is more gratifying than
to see the change often made possible in such cases after the doctor and dentist
have been to work.
TREATMENT OF DEFECTIVE VISION AND SQUINT
Question:—Why are there so many more sessions for the Eye
Specialist than any other of the Consultants?
Answer:—It is true that your Eye
Specialist (who in 1948 was Mr. Ayoub,
F.R.C.S.) does come four times a week to
Barking; 229 new cases were seen and the
total attendances were 3,302.
Other sessions are also undertaken by
Dr. V. Spiller, one of your Assistant Medical
Officers, who has had special experience in eyes.
Most of the patients need their eyes tested for glasses and this, if carefully
done, is a time consuming procedure. You
are fortunate in Barking in that your children
do obtain good care and skill.
The waiting time for obtaining spectacles
has, we are sorry to say, been very long.
The matter is under consideration, however, and we do hope in future that any
long wait will be avoided.
ORTHOPTIC CLINIC
Question:—Is it too late to start treating a squint once a child has
reached school age?
Answer:—In some cases the answer is Yes. There are, of course, several
causes for squint and different treatment will be needed in each case.
In the majority of cases, however, the cause is some slight error in the vision
of one eye which, being thus at a relative disadvantage, gives up the struggle to
see and, as it were, " looks the other way." In course of time this " lazy eye "
(as it is called) in order to avoid seeing double,
not only " looks the other way " but gives up
looking altogether and gradually loses or
suppresses all power of vision.
It is to prevent this loss of vision that it
is so important to begin treatment as early as
possible, and I am happy to be able to say
that in Barking mothers do, through our
Infant Welfare Clinics, bring their children to the Ophthalmic Specialist from
the very beginning of the trouble.
DEFECTIVE VISION
Total Treatments for:
Errors of Refraction 825
Other Eye conditions 595
PROVISION OF SPECTACLES
Total prescribed 493
Total obtained 453
ORTHOPTIC CLINIC
New Cases 131
Total attendances 1,309
Number of Sessions 145
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