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Speech Therapy
The following is the report of the work of the speech therapists, Miss E. N. Symes
and Miss E. R. Shipley.
The speech therapy service in the Borough has now been in operation for many
years, during which time it has greatly increased in scope. Originally, only one clinic
was established and eleven sessions a week were held, whereas during 1958 four clinics
operating eighteen sessions a week were open for the treatment of speech defects among
school children and pre-school children, the remaining two sessions being spent at schools
and home visits. Towards the end of the year consideration was being given to the
provision of two sessions weekly at Ashton Gardens. Treatment was available during
1958 at the following clinics:—
Five Elms School Clinic, Wood Lane 9 sessions weekly
Leys Clinic, Ballards Road 5 „ „
The Bentry School, Heathway 2 ,, „
Oxlow Lane Clinic 2 ,, „
There has been a steady increase of work at the Bentry School, due to the fact that
numbers of children originally receiving speech therapy at one or other of the clinics in
the area were transferred from ordinary schools to the Bentry School. It is anticipated
that in 1959 a further speech session will be necessary for the educationally subnormal
children.
As usual, speech defects continue to predominate among boys, 171 boys being
treated in 1958 and 83 girls. In all, 254 children received treatment, 64 being discharged
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