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15
or with symptoms of allergic conditions. Dr. Thelma Wield, who has special
responsibilities for some of the more severely affected children at St Giles'
School, expresses concern about over-protective attitudes towards the
asthmatic child in an ordinary school. It is important that an affected child
should be treated as normally as possible, drawing the least possible
attention to his difficulties. Asthmatic children should NOT be discouraged
from taking physical exercise provided that they do not become excessively
wheezy, nor should they be sent to lie down as soon as the first signs of
wheezing appear.
The education of such children presents its own difficulties; in general
the I.Q. of an asthmatic child is above average, but frequent absence from
school leads to inevitable educational retardation. There is some evidence
that these children find it difficult to cope with the natural competition
within an ordinary school. Nevertheless, it must be remembered that the
adaptations progressively introduced at St. Giles' School to make it more
suitable for the severely physically handicapped child have made it Jess
like the open air schools for delicate children which have traditionally provided
education for the child with chest disease. It seems preferable in this
situation to encourage the asthmatic child to remain in an ordinary school
unless symptoms have progressed to the point where regular physiotherapy
is essential. Nevertheless, the child with very severe bronchial asthma will
continue to require the special facilities which only St. Giles' School can
satisfactorily provide.
The incidence of pulmonary tuberculosis in school children was similar
to that in 1968. The number of cases of notified tuberculosis in children of
school age was -
Pulmonary - 5
Non-Pulmonary - Nil
The school population was 51,000 (approx.) so that the incidence rate
of pulmonary tuberculosis per 100,000 was 9.8. In 1968 the rate was
10/100,000. Once again there were no deaths from tuberculosis in school
children.
Abdominal Defects
The number of defects reported was similar to that in the previous year
but with a trend towards the treatment of such defects as soon as they are
recognised. In view of the reference to dysmenorrhoea in last year's
Report (page 15) such a trend is welcome.
Developmental Defects
There was no significant change in the pattern of these defects during
the year.