View report page

were encouraged to attend with them and were mutually supportive. The children improved
dramatically and subsequently integrated very well into normal playgroup. Their presence in
the Group was very stimulating to the others and it is interesting that following their admission
the three year old brother of Susie elected to stay and join the Group. This child had caused
us a good deal of concern because of his excessive shyness, tendency to "scribble talk" and
obvious needs for more attention from his mother, whose time was so fully taken up by the
handicapped child. We feel that although Susie improved only a little, this young brother benefited
a great deal from being in the same Group and having individual attention and understanding
in his own right.
Lee, aged 4 years — a slow starter, very little development in first year of life due to athetoid
cerebal palsy. On admission the problem was an apparently intractable block in expressive speech,
although some understanding was clearly there. She was otherwise a normal, attractive looking
child. Attends the Nuffield Centre monthly for speech therapy and we have worked in liaison
with this unit. Has improved greatly in understanding, quality of play and has made excellent
relationships with staff, parents and the other children. Emotional problems which we feel may
be related to the amount of therapy this child has needed, are beginning to resolve.
The Group has also been found to be a useful setting for the assessment of children attending
the routine child health clinic, who show emotional or developmental disturbance. They invariably
join in afterwards and their response to the Group play situation adds useful information to
that gained in individual testing.
At present we have eight children regularly attending, three of whom we expect to leave
at the end of this term. There is a waiting list of 4, with a possible fifth one who (a child
with spina bifida) we are prepared to take now if the mother consents. Two siblings with
potentially serious speech delay as a result of emotional deprivations (maternal depression) are
only able to attend on one day though they urgently need two, and this is due to the inability
of the mother to provide transport twice a week."
Dr. M.B. Edge, Senior Medical Officer who supervises the group at Bedonwell, reports:—
BEDONWELL
"This group was started in October and within a few weeks there were eight children
attending regularly. Five of these children had been fully assessed by the end of the year and
future provision discussed with the parents and the consultants concerned with their primary
care. Where indicated formal recommendation has been sent to the appropriate authority.
The ages of the children and the handicapping conditions are listed, (in the table) with
an indication as to future placement:-
52