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therapists is to be maintained. The limit on numbers trained in London is the
number of suitable clinics available for students' practical training within
reasonable distance of the Training Schools.
1971 has been a year of steady work despite some unexpected staff
changes. It is hoped that 1972 will see the continuance of the Service to
school children and an improvement of the situation of Speech Therapy in
Special Schools.
Statistics are in Appendix B, Page 61.
WEIGHT CONTROL CLINICS
Dr. W. Simmonds, Departmental Medical Officer
In the year under review a Clinic for boys was conducted by Dr.Simmonds,
while Miss Hunt, a Health Visitor, conducted a Clinic for girls.
The boys' Clinics have continued very much as before. There is a general
improvement overall, with the few resistant exceptions and the occasional
startling return to normality.
It seems that starting at the age of eleven gives the most satisfactory
results in the time available, and once more, as is to be expected, the prospects
of success are better if one or other parent is able to attend in the
early stages, and if the group is seen in school rather than a Central Clinic
which causes greater loss of school time.
The girls' Clinic has been held monthly in Taberner House and has aimed
to encourage a group of girls to lose weight when this has been considered
necessary, usually following a school medical examination.
The aim is to supply the girls and their mothers with enough nutritional
knowledge to guide them in their choice of "fattening" and non fattening
foods, and films and slides are used to illustrate this.
The recommended diet is discussed with mothers and the girls and comments
on this vary - from it being too fattening to starvation - neither have
been proved accurate.
The girls' initial interest is often lost, motivation is not very high.
Family support varies but it appears that some of the girls face much disapproval
at home whether they stick to the diet or give it up.
The clinic seems to have achieved some success in terms of weight control
but unfortunately rather less in terms of weight loss.
In view of these difficulties, and to prevent waste of time and manpower,
't is suggested that the boys' and girls' groups should be merged and centres
started in various parts of the Borough, so that boys and girls can be seen
together and will have shorter distances to come to the various clinics.