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2
Infectious Diseases
Chicken pox and Measles were prevalent, but followed the
pattern of recent years in being mild in character. The Department
co-operated with the Public Health Laboratory Service in
carrying out a survey of complications of Measles to determine
if the after effects of this illness warrant attempts to provide
active immunisation by the use of a vaccine. This investigation
is still continuing, and no results are yet forthcoming. Sonne
dysentery proved troublesome in a few schools, but not to the
extent met with in previous outbreaks. Difficulties arose
because intestinal upsets due to other causes probably virus infections,
were also prevalent and made diagnosis more difficult.
Handicapped Children
The setting up of a class for partially hearing children,
ages 3-7 years, was completed during the year under review,
and this was opened on January 1st, 1964. The class for maladjusted
children was moved to the new premises allocated
temporarily for the School Psychological Service. On the
question of early diagnosis of handicapped children, it will be
remembered that the Education Act places a responsibility for
remedial services upon Education authorities, when children
reach the age of 2 years. It is our constant endeavour to find
children with any handicaps at as early an age as possible. To
this end the Health Department have established an "at risk"
register of babies who for reasons connected with the pregnancy
or labour, or the immediate post-natal period, may have suffered
injury as foetus or infant. They are kept under special observation.
Parents of toddlers are sent definite invitations to bring
their children for medical examinations at 2, 3 and 4 years of
age, and these are in effect pre-school routine medical inspections.
Approximately one-third of all pre-school children in the
borough are surveyed in this manner, and efforts to increase
this coverage are being made.
Health Education
The scope of the facilities which we are able to make
available has now been well established, and the present task
is to extend these to all the schools. No formal pattern has
been established, and it remains a question of finding in each
school a member of the teaching staff or a School Nurse who is
prepared to carry out the basic programme with help from the
Health Education Officers.