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attention as the speech therapist deems advisable, and the work has been
carried out mainly in groups with, in the case of stammering, an average
of seven children in each group, the treatment lasting about 40 minutes
and being given twice weekly in severe cases and once weekly in slighter
cases, but, in addition to the first interview, each child has had at least one
individual treatment during the term. It is hoped later to arrange that each
case is seen individually at least once a month and more often if necessary.
The mothers of the younger children have frequently accompanied them
to the clinic, and the therapist has found them very anxious to co-operate
by helping the children as much as possible between clinics with, in many
cases, most encouraging results.
Two stammering and one retarded speech cases have been temporarily
discharged as cured, in all three cases a second report being first obtained
from the school. It is proposed to follow up these cases by asking them to
attend the clinic at intervals of four months during the current year.
The speech therapist is most anxious that there should be close cooperation
between the clinic, the school medical services, the parents and
the teachers, and with that end in view she hopes that later it may be
possible for her to see the parents and teachers of all defective speech cases at
regular intervals.
(f) Ear Diseases and External Eye Disease.
There are still a large number of children suffering from otorrhoea.
It is to be hoped that, with the specialist's attention at the aural clinic, these
cases will decline. A goodly number is due to lack of attention to the tonsils
in the "toddler" stage.
(g) Dental Defects.
A better effort was made during the year to cope with the large number
of dental cases and in time a better standard of dental hygiene will be established,
but this can only be achieved by persistent hard work, as the
number of defects amongst Edmonton school children are relatively high.
A great deal of the difficulty occurs amongst the entrant group, which
indicates that the Maternity and Child Welfare Department will have to
become more thorough in their investigation and treatment of dental caries.
(h) Orthopædic and Postural Defects.
The orthopaedic clinic is held at the Methodist Central Hall, Fore Street,
Edmonton, N.9; the surgeon attends on the first Friday of each month, and
the nurse-masseuse on Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday each week.
Operative treatment is carried out at Stanmore, the Country Branch of
the Royal National Orthopædic Hospital.
The number of individual children treated during the year again shows a
heavy increase. The totals for the last four years are given for
comparison:—
1934 175
1935 220
1936 275
1937 303
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