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Medical inspections in non-maintained schools have continued
during the year in those schools which have requested such facilities.
Further general enquiries were received about the provision of facilities
for medical inspections, but no specific request was made. Annual
medical inspections were introduced at the Croydon Spastics Centre and
routine sweep tests of hearing were introduced in the Infant Department
at Croydon High School for Girls. During the year a request was received
for sweep tests of hearing to be introduced at the Royal Russell School
and satisfactory arrangements for the introduction of this service were
made. A total of 459 children were medically examined at non-maintained
schools in 1966 and detailed findings have been recorded in Appendix C,
page 60.
As a result of medical inspections in all schools a total of 6,879
defects were receiving or were thought to require medical treatment, and
& further 6,826 defects were referred for further observation by the school
medical officer. A summary of the defects which were found has been
recorded in Table 3 from which it will be noted that vision defects, upper
respiratory defects and orthopaedic conditions again accounted for almost
half of the conditions which were reported. The proportion of defects
which were discovered in every hundred children examined has been
recorded in Table 4.
Personal Hygiene
During the year the Education Committee reviewed the present procedure
for hygiene inspections in Croydon. Following the creation of the
Borough a variety of different systems were found to be in existence and
there was a need to rationalize the procedure, bearing in mind that infestation
with nits is now a minor problem. It was resolved that a systematic
examination of every child should be conducted at the age of eight years
and eleven years in association with the school medical procedure so that
a continuing picture of the epidemiology of the problem throughout the
Borough may be obtained. The routine examination of every child every
term was, however, abandoned, and replaced by continued surveillance in
selected schools. Previous records were used to identify such schools
but Head Teachers were particularly helpful and suggested several
schools which should continue to receive this close supervision. Table
5 confirms that the revised procedure was successful during the year
since, although fewer children were examined by the school nurses, the
number of children who were found to be infested showed a slight increase.
As a result of these inspections vermin were found in 21 children
and nits alone in 514 children. Parents are advised about the best method
of dealing with the condition, and a cleansing station is provided for the
treatment of scabies and persistent verminous conditions. 13 schoolchildren
attended the Cleansing Station for treatment of scabies, and
2 schoolchildren were treated for head vermin.