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20
PART II SPECIALIST SERVICES
AUDIOLOGY SERVICE
Mr. J.C. Oakley, Peripatetic Teacher of the Deaf
1965 was an extremely busy year for the Audiology Clinic,
789 children were tested by pure tone audiometer, this included
routine follow up cases, cases referred by School Medical
Officers, and 338 Sweep Test failures. In addition to the regular
clinics held at Lodge Road, Croydon and Parkway, New Addington,
new clinics were also established at Whytecliffe Road, Purley and
Rectory Park, Sanderstead, to deal with children attending
schools in the Coulsdon and Purley area. 60 babies were also
tested at the special clinic held in conjunction with Dr. Morgan,
for the early ascertainment of deafness in young babies known to
be 'at risk'. 7 of these were referred to Mr. Stewart, the
Corporation's Otologist.
The number of deaf and partially deaf children under the age
of 3 years, increased to 21 and it was necessary to arrange for
their auditory training to be carried out on a group basis, The
group met weekly at the Civil Defence Headquarters, Tavistock
Road. In addition to the Teacher of the Deaf, a Speech Therapist
and Nursery Assistant, were also in attendance. Extra speech
training was also carried out in the Speech and Audiology
Clinics.
78 children were seen by Mr, Stewart, who held regular
sessions at Lodge Road. 9 hearing aids were recommended, 7 of
these were National Health Service 'Medresco' aids and the other
2 commercial aids, paid for by the Corporation. Commercial aids
are considered necessary if the hearing loss is very severe, or
if there is a sharp perceptive loss in the higher frequencies.
The Medresco' has no automatic volume control and cannot be
tolerated by children with such a loss, as the hearing for low
tones is often normal and a general amplification of sound
causes a considerable amount of distortion and soon becomes
painful.
During the year, all infant schools were visited at least
once, and apart from absentees and unco-operative children (387),
all children newly admitted to the school during the year were
tested. Of the 4,721 children tested, 378 (approx. 8%), failed
the test and were referred to the Audiology Clinic for further
assessment.