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MATERNITY AND CHILD WELFARE CONSULTATIONS
There ar 18 Maternity and Child Welfare Centres, 16 of which are
conducted by the Croydon Mother's and Infants' Welfare Association, and 2
by the local Authority, A Total of 23 sessions per week are held, and at these
a doctor and nurse on the staff of the Health Department attend.
During 1941, 2,430 new: cases under 1 year of age, and 1,008 over
1 year of age at attended for the first time, the total of attendances of infants
and young children from 0-5 years decreased from 66,609-in 1940 to
64,'322 in 1941. Consultations with doctors decreased from 21,375 to
21,319. 48 expectant mothers were seen, a decrease of 20 on 1940, end
a total of 438 visits to the Centres were paid by them. The total of all
visits to the centres was 64,760 a decrease of 2,243 compared with 1940.
The highest average attendance of mothers and babies at each session
was recorded at South Croydon(86.0), Municipal (77.6), St. Andrews (71.4)
and Selhurst (67.7).
DENTAL TREATMENT - MATERNITY AMD CHILD WELFARE PATIENTS.
Expectant and Nursing Mothers and children below school age are referred
by Medical Officers attending Ante-Natal Clinics and Post-Natal Clinics.
Since the inauguration of the Municipal Midwives Service applications for
dental treatment have also been received in increasing numbers from this
source.
EXPECTANT MOTHERS.
These numbered 562 compared with 378 last year and represent 85% of
the total number referred.
Of these, 65% presented themselves during the first six months of
pregnancy. The remaining 35%, some of whom had but recently returned from
evacuation, were first seen during the later stages of gestation. As stated
previously conservative measures constituted quite a considerable proportion
of the treatment, 839 fillings being inserted against 565 in 1940.
NURSING- MOTHERS
Due primarily to the increase during the to preceding years in
numbers of mothers treated antenatally, the number of those referred during
the nursing poriod is again seen to be low. The latter figure was 99
against 84 last year.
Those treated during the first six months of the nursing period
constituted 68%. For the remainder referred from the 7th to 12th month,
emergency treatment only was in most cases carried out.
THE PRE-SCHOOL CHILD.
Some reduction will be noted in the number of children under school
age referred in 1941, these were 253 against 318 last year. Though this
reduction may to some extent be due to the enforced curtailment of visits to
Welfare Centres, facilities for easily obtaining treatment do in fact exist.
Until such time, therefore, as a large scale return takes place of mothers
from evacuation, it is doubtful whether more substantial results will be obtained.
Fillings inserted for these small patients show an increase on the last
report. Extractions performed, on the contary, are to some extent reduced.
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