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When children reach their first birthday, then and on subsequent birthdays until
the age of five, they are sent an attractively designed birthday card. This contains a
request for the mother to bring the child to the clinic for a "birthday check". By this
means the medical officer is able to determine the developmental progress of each
child and to assess if there is any departure from normal.
Apart from routine work of this sort, other important screening procedures are
carried out:-
(i) Particularly careful surveillance is given to children with certain antenatal
or peri-natal histories, for example, the child of a mother who has
had german measles during pregnancy. An observation register is kept, to
which 682 children were added during the year (13.4% of all live births in
the borough). The total on the register at the end of the year was 1,249.
(ii) Phenylketonuria test. This test of the baby's urine is able to detect one
form of mental subnormality which is preventable by diet. There were 5,632
babies tested in this way during the year, but no positive cases were
detected.
During the year 14,501 children were brought to child welfare clinics.
Maternal and Child Health Dental Service (Priority Dental Service)
The priority dental groups comprise expectant and nursing mothers, and preschool
children.
The figures for attendance of these groups in 1967 were:-
Expectant and Nursing Mothers
Examined 211
Required treatment 199
Teeth filled 543
Teeth extracted 131
Dentures provided 29
Pre-School Children
Examined 1,110
Required treatment 790
Teeth filled 1,553
Teeth extracted 749
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