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62
FOLLOWING UP.
After medical inspection at the schools and at the Health
Centres, each defective child is carefully followed up to ensure that
any necessary treatment is obtained.
If the parent is present at the inspection advice is given
regarding the steps to be taken to remedy any defect found.
Following this a notice is sent to the parents stating the nature
of the treatment required and in some instances where this treatment
may be obtained if the parents are unable to pay for treatment
privately.
After the routine school medical inspection a list is sent to
the head teacher of the various defects found and six weeks later
the head teacher returns this list giving information as to whether
or not the children have obtained treatment.
In cases where the treatment has not been obtained the
school nurse visits the home to make enquiries and to impress upon
the parents the necessity of obtaining immediate treatment.
Continued failure is followed up by a warning that legal action
may be considered to compel the parents to obtain treatment.
A threat like this is only necessary on rare occasions.
Children found at dental inspection to require treatment are
followed up by the schools nurses in the sanre way.
Every child with a defect is re-inspected by the medical
officer at the next school medical inspection and if it is thought
necessary the child may be kept under continued observation at
the Health Centre.
When a child has been admitted to the King Edward Memorial
Hospital for a throat or nose operation the school nurse visits
the home after the child's discharge from Hospital to ensure that
the child is making satisfactory progress.
The number of visits made to the homes of children by the
school nurses during the year was 5,039.