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My grateful thanks are due to Mrs. Hoskin who ran the Clinic so ably
until I was able to return in November, and to all members of the medical,
health education and administrative staffs, who have helped so much
throughout the year.
Weight Control Clinic
Dr. W. Simmonds, School Medical Officer
The clinic has continued during the past year, in its rather more streamlined
form and has produced a number of rather more streamlined boys.
The theory which was suggested last year that it is not only a waste of
time to see boys if neither themselves nor their parents are interested has
been borne out by results, and it was found that the removal from a group of
those boys who merely became progressively fatter (and were quite unworried)
stimulated the remainder to try harder.
It is now the policy to see, at a special session, all new referrals with
their parents and explain to them why weight control is important. They are
then seen once a term only and more individual attention can be given to
each boy.
No boy is discharged from a group merely because he is unsuccessful
in reducing or controlling his weight. The only cancellations are those
whose parents fail to attend for a whole year and who themselves admit
that they do not intend to try to control their weight.
OTHER SERVICES
Transport of Children to Ordinary Schools
In the event of an accident or illness resulting in temporary disability,
the school medical officer is asked to decide whether special transport
should be provided to enable the child to attend school. Before making any
recommendation careful enquiries must be made to ensure not only that the
transport is justified but that the child will be able to work satisfactorily
when he eventually reaches the school. A child in a leg plaster may have
great difficulty in negotiating several flights of stairs in order to attend
various classes during the course of the day. School medical officers
recommended that special transport should be provided for 23 such children
during the year.
Convalescent Treatment
Five children received a convalescent holiday on the recommendation
of the school medical officer. These arrangements are not intended to provide
annual holidays for children whose parents are unable to provide them;
they are an essential part of the recuperative treatment provided for a child
who has been found to be in poor general health or a child suffering from a