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60
Number of schools visited 13
Number of children examined 5,893
Number of children with hearing loss 162
Number of pure tone tests 128
Number of children referred to E.N.T. specialist 99
FOOT HEALTH
Foot health is the subject of careful supervision in Ealing and
great importance is attached to early discovery and treatment of
defects found.
One assistant Medical Officer and a State Registered Nurse,
who has specialised in this work since 1949, maintain a constant
check on the condition of the children's feet in all the maintained
schools. In addition, children under school age are referred to the
Foot Clinic from the Welfare Centres.
By the end of the year two inspections were made in all
the schools established before 1950 and most of the more recently
opened schools have had their first inspection. 7,300 children
were examined. Some foot defect was found in 42% of the
children who had had a previous inspection, compared with
52% with foot defects found at the first inspection. This is an
encouraging result and suggests that the three years of work in this
department is beginning to bear fruit.
Although the majority of these defects are found before they
have become severe, it is disturbing to realise that still a large
number of school children have feet which are a potential cause of
trouble in later life. There is still great need to educate the rising
generation in the basic principles of foot health.
The number of children with ringworm of the toes and plantar
warts, has remained stationary, following a decreased incidence in
1952, when barefoot dancing classes and the use of communal
plimsols were discontinued. It was decided to re-introduce
barefoot dancing classes in certain schools as an experimental
measure and at present a controlled experiment is being made to
see if a return to barefoot work causes any increase in the incidence
of foot infections.
The educational work of the foot health team has continued
both to groups of assistant medical officers and health visitors and
to many individual children and their parents. A report of the
survey made in the schools and of the Ealing Contributory Shoe
Scheme was published in the British Medical Journal.
As before, the shoe retailers have been most helpful in dealing
with requests for special fittings of shoes. There are, however,
still shops in the Area who do not insist on fitting their small
customers but are prepared to sell shoes over the counter.