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Orthopaedic Treatment.
(a) Ascertainment Clinic: The Consultant Orthopaedic
Surgeon paid three visits to the district during the year, when
60 children made 99 attendances. Most children attended once
only, 24 attended twice and 1 three times. The commonest
conditions for which children were referred were genu-valgura,
pes planus, bowed tibiae and talipes.
(b) Massage Clinic: The massage and remedial exercises
clinic was held twice weekly at the Ford Road and Becontree
Clinics. During the year 145 children under school age received
treatment at a cost of £50 0s. 0d., making a total of 500 attendances.
Most cases were referred on account of flat foot, knock knee or bowed
legs.
(c) Provision of Appliances : A member of the staff of a firm of
instrument makers attends, usually at the same time as the
Orthopaedic Surgeon, to take measurements of those children
requiring surgical appliances. The Local Authority assists in
payment of these according to the financial circumstances of the
family.
(d) Hospital Treatment: One child was sent to hospital for
operative treatment at a total cost of £7 9s. 5d.
Ultra Violet Therapy.
Light treatment is carried out at the Becontree and at the
Dagenham Clinics, two sessions being held weekly at each of the
premises. The cases treated are referred from the Infant Welfare
centres and all children are seen by the Medical Officer every
fortnight. A few children of school age are referred by the School
Medical Officer.
A course of treatment commences with a two minutes exposure
back and front working up to a 6 minutes double exposure, being
12 exposures in all. The clinics close down from May to
September.
231 children commenced treatment, of whom 120 completed
one course, 23 completed two courses and 1 completed three
courses. The commonest condition for which children were
referred was rickets.