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Other Malformations
Mongol 4
Another screening procedure which is carried out at child welfare sessions is the
phenylketonuria test. It has been discovered that one form of mental sub-normality
is due to an abnormality in the way the baby's body deals with certain constituents
of his food. The effects of this faulty "chemistry" can be overcome by an
appropriate diet, providing the disorder is detected in time.
Detection is by means of a simple test of the baby's urine at the age of three weeks,
and is carried out in Ealing by the clinic nurses at the child welfare sessions, and by
the health visitors when making home visits.
5,587 babies were screened during the year and no positive cases were detected.
All expectant mothers attending the ante-natal sessions are also screened by this
test as it is now certain that affected pregnant women can influence their unborn
children adversely unless kept on a special diet.
2,209 expectant mothers were screened and one positive case was detected. This
expectant mother was referred to the special unit at Great Ormond Street Hospital
for confirmation of the condition, and was placed on the special diet until delivered
in St. Thomas's Hospital. Her baby is now being followed up by Great Ormond
Street Hospital and it is hoped that the mother's special diet during pregnancy will
have had a beneficial effect upon the baby's mental development.
Child welfare sessions remain popular and show high attendance rates. The
work demonstrates adaptation to changing needs in that the emphasis is moving
away from the "well baby" to that of providing screening tests, developmental
examinations and counselling on the emotional and social needs of young children.
During the year, 13,568 children were brought to the child welfare clinics, and
one mother and baby were admitted to a residential home for training in mothercraft.
MATERNITY AND CHILD HEALTH DENTAL SERVICE (Priority Dental Service)
Details of the staffing and availability of this service are contained in the section
of my report dealing with the School Dental Service since approximately 90 per cent,
of the work of the Council's Dental Service is concerned with school children. The
same facilities are, however, also available to two priority groups:—
(1) Expectant and nursing mothers.
(2) Pre-school children.