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As a result of provision by the Local Education Authority
and by co-operation with other authorities, notably the
London County Council, a suitable placement is usually
possible. Children with dual or multiple disabilities present
special difficulties but there is a small number of Schools in
the country which specialise in the educaton of such
children, e.g. deaf children with defective vision or
educational retardation or pnysically nanaicapped children
suffering also, from epilepsy and educational
subnormality. In connection with physically handicapped
children I am happy to record that, in early 1959, a
cerebral palsy (spastic) unit was opened at Farnborough
Hospitals Kent, for a small group of the more severely affected
children in the area (those with athetosis, diplegia, severe
speech defects, etc.). A teacher has been provided by the Kent
Education Committee and the unit has the services of a
physiotherapist, occupational therapist and speech therapist.
The age range is 4 to 12 years but children are considered
for training at an even earlier age if it is considered that they
may present an educational problem on reaching school age.
The unit is non-residential but, because it is attached to the
Children's Department of the Hospital, admission to hospital
for short periods in exceptional cases will be possible.
It has become established in recent years that disability
in children, especially defective hearing and certain forms
of physical defect e.g. cerebral palsy must be detected in
infancy if maximum benefit is to be obtained from treatment,
training and education. Parents, too, have a vital part to play
in the early treatment and management of their handicapped
child. Emphasis on this aspect is made in the Report of the
Chief Medical Officer of the Ministry of Education for the
years 1956 and 1957.
As I stated in my 1957 report, an improved staffing
position has made it possible for greater attention to be given
to preventive dentistry although we are still some way removed
from the ideal of yearly dental inspection followed by
early treatment. In view of the high rate of retirement of
dentists and inadequate replacement by new blood, I feel I
should repeat what I said in 1955—that the Government
should give urgent consideration to the need for the fluoridation
of water supplies with a view to preventing the onset
of dental disease. It is not sufficiently recognised that the
water supply of this area is practically devoid of fluorine while
there is ample experimental evidence that the presence of
this element in the proportion of about one part per million
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