Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Ealing]
This page requires JavaScript
Continued from previous page...
Diagnosis | No. of Cases |
---|---|
Developmental aphasia | 10 |
Dysarthria | 2 |
Dyslalia | 9 |
Dyslalia and stammer | 2 |
Dyslalia and dysarthria | 5 |
Disorder due to deafness | 2 |
30 |
It will be seen that developmental aphasia and
dyslalia account for the majority of children admitted.
The two cases of pure dysarthria were due to minor
degrees of cerebral palsy. In the children with combined
dyslalia and dysarthria the dysarthric element
included orthodontic conditions and varying degrees of
tongue immobility. One child had a thyroid deficiency
and the large tongue often associated with this condition.
Of the two children who had a disorder of
speech due to deafness only one required to wear a
hearing aid. It will be noted that cases of pure stammering
are not admitted as it is not felt that the
class caters for their particular need. In the cases
where stammer has been part of a mixed defect it has
been much the lesser of the two disabilities.
The intelligence quotients of the children who
have been in the class have been a little lower than
would be expected in any normal group of children in
the same age range. This was between 60 and 129. Most,
however were in the range 80 to 89.
On leaving the class the speech of the 21 children discharged was assessed as follows-
Normal speech | 14 |
Slight dyslalia | 4 |
Slight dysarthria | 2 |
Markedly defective speech but left class to go abroad | 1 |
21 |
Differences from Ordinary Class Routine
Prom the teaching point of view routine is basically
as in a normal infant class with the following
differences
(1) The limitation of the class to 10 pupils allows
for individual tuition and there is no formal syllabus.
(2) Teaching is to a wider age range than in a
normal class.
(3) Time spent on speech training and encouragement
of speech is much greater.
(4) Correction of speech which in teaching a normal
class plays only a small part is here of prime importance.
In this respect, of course, example plays a
major part and at all times the teacher's speech must
be of the highest quality.
(5) Use of piano and tape recorder to encourage
the often late developing sense of rhythm,
(6) Since the class is part of a normal school it
can take part in all normal activities and in no way
is there segregation of these children. In this respect
the head teacher plays an essential role in general