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information cannot be over-estimated. Unfortunately the waiting list at the
Child Guidance Clinic, a matter to which Dr. George Crosse makes reference
in his report (page 19) makes it difficult to provide help as quickly as one
would wish, although it must be stressed that immediate help for an unexpectedly
urgent situation is always available. Two out of every three emotional
problems known to the Service are now supervised by the school
medical officers themselves, and the Health Committee recognised this
fact in 1967 by the appointment of Dr. Crosse to undertake regular inservice
training with the school medical officers for an hour every second
Monday morning. These short sessions have given encouragement to medical
officers in the Department to undertake more ambitious treatment in individual
cases in the confident expectation that expert help is continuously available
for regular consultation.
A number of discussions took place with interested bodies during the
year concerning the problems of drug dependence and drug experimentation.
These discussions suggested the need for a drug advisory service and a
conference for professional staff. Both objectives were achieved during the
year and both confirmed independently that, despite persistent rumours to
the contrary, no satisfactory evidence can be found that either drug dependence
or experimentation is yet a problem amongst Croydon school children.
Height and Weight
The figures of average heights and weights are recorded in Table 7.
Annual fluctuations in each age group make comparisons difficult, but an
impression is gained that whilst the average height of older pupils remains
stationary, the average weight is showing a gradual increase. Since overweight
children are known to become overweight adults and, since so many
of the latter fall prey to the diseases of middle age, the problem of the
overweight school child is a matter for increasing concern. In this context
the role of the school tuckshop must not be overlooked. The service has
been reluctant to criticise the sale of biscuits and confectionary in school
since it has recognised the important financial contribution to school funds
which such sales provide, as well as the obvious excuse that such provision
meets a real need which would simply be taken over by the retail
trade. Nevertheless, it seems necessary to remind the Committee that the
dietary and dental cost of these sales is heavy and that this price is one
which they themselves are largely called upon to pay.
Dr. Phyllis Mortimer (formerly Dr. Gibbons) has reported upon her
clinic for overweight school girls (page 28) whilst Dr. Simmonds has now
established a clinic for the treatment of schoolboys. Each boy and his
parent attend a lecture explaining the necessity for reducing weight and
the only successful way of doing so. Advice is given concerning the ways
by which dieting can be made less tedious and by which the interest of