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72
where the defect remains untreated further steps have to be taken.
As part of her duties the school nurse visits the homes to enquire
regarding the obtaining of treatment and to give advice to the
mother regarding the necessity of dealing with the defect immediately.
When a parent fails to secure treatment the school nurse
may have to make repeated visits. Where there is real difficulty
in making the parent take any steps in the matter the school
nurse may have to allude to the possibility of legal action being
taken under the Children Acts, and a warning to this effect in
writing may follow in cases of continued neglect.
Children found at dental inspection to require treatment are
followed up by the school nurses in exactly the same way, the
parents being impressed with the necessity of taking the child
to be treated, either by a private dentist or by the school dentist.
The nurses have also to visit the homes when children fail to keep
appointments to attend the Health Centre for treatment of any
kind.
Elsewhere in this report mention is made of the arrangements
made for throat and nose operations to be performed at the King
Edward Memorial Hospital; even so, the home visiting of these
cases is still carried out by the school nurses, who advise the mothers
regarding the after-care of the children.
The total number of visits to the homes made by the school
nurses during the year under review was 5,547.
ARRANGEMENTS FOR TREATMENT.
(a) Minor Ailments and Diseases of the Skin.—The number
of minor ailments treated during the year are indicated in Table
IV Group I (page 101), which shows separately those children who
were treated through the school medical scheme and those
who were treated either at a hospital or by a private practitioner.
It will be seen that of the 2,077 defects which required treatment
during the year as many as 1,902, or 91.6 per cent., were
treated at the Health Centres.
Children suffering from minor ailments attend at the Health
Centres for treatment on certain days of the week. To obviate
the long journey across Greenford to the nearest Centre (Ravenor