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The Physiotherapy Department augmented to three full time members
has done first class work during the year. 37 chest cases, 26 cerebral palsy,
15 spina bifida, 5 muscular dystrophy and 14 miscellaneous cases were
treated. A total of 10,904 treatments being given.
Speech Therapy has continued to be given and 1,325 treatments were
given, 31 initial assessments made and 25 cases under review.
PUPILS SUFFERING FROM A SPEECH DEFECT
In Day Special Schools or Units • 15
Two children wsre ascertained in this category during 1969, and both of
them were admitted to the Special Unit at West Thornton Primary School. A
critical review of the progress of this Unit was made by senior members of
the two Departments to determine what lessons had been learned from this
experimental approach since its inception in 1966. It was clear that the
character and purpose of the Unit had shown a distinct change; the exclusion
of severe articulatory disorders could no longer be justified, and admission
should depend in future upon the child's need for - and the ability to
profit from - the intensive speech therapy programme, often involving twice
daily treatment. On the teaching side, the wide age range, together with the
varying type and severity of the speech problem presented an unreasonable
task for a single teacher, and additional teaching assistance was sought
during the year. The review again demonstrated the considerable financial
advantage of a day unit, and the steady stream of visitors from other
Authorities indicates the extent of the interest which the unit has attracted.
I am grateful to the Chief Education Officer for the following report:—
Unit for Speech Disordered Children, West Thornton Primary School
During the year three children have left the Unit to return to normal
Primary Schools, and one has gone to a Secondary School. Four new children
have been admitted, so the full compliment of twelve children has been maintained.
At present there are three children in the Unit whose spoken language
is limited to a few isolated words. These three have severe difficulty in
understanding spoken language. Two others have some speech but are often
difficult to understand, four have a fair amount of speech and two have
practically normal speech. These two are working happily in Junior Classes,
only returning to the Unit for speech therapy. Three others spend limited
periods in Junior Classes, and all the children join with other classes for
P.E. and dancing.
The kindness of the Staff and children at West Thornton is a great
factor in the growing confidence and ability of the children in the Unit.