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SCHOOL HEALTH
Child guidance
Centre and Clinic
The Child Guidance Centre and Clinic is situated at 8 Dryden Road, Bush
centre and clinic Hill Park, and has an establishment of a part-time psychiatrist (eight sessions
per week), four psychiatric social workers, four educational psychologists
and two psychotherapists
Although the centre and clinic are housed in one building, the work falls
broadly into two categories, namely, educational problems and the assessment
of intelligence on the one hand and emotional and psychiatric problems
on the other. Cases are referred to the psychiatrist by hospital staff, by
assistant medical officers and general medical practitioners, or even in some
cases directly by parents.
In conjunction with the centre and clinic there is the Selection Unit at Chase
Side School for twenty young children suffering severe emotional disorder
who are admitted on the recommendation of the psychiatrist. There is also
a small full-time class for hyperactive infants. The Unit provides a therapeutic
environment in which further assessment of the problems and abilities of
these children is possible, as many of them are non-speaking and in other
ways inaccessible.
Elsewhere, remedial classes are provided for very small groups of children
with specific learning difficulties who attend part-time.
Nutrition
Although advice on nutrition is generally available at medical inspections,
it was decided to make a more positive approach to the problem of the
overweight child and the underweight child, and to introduce a scheme
whereby such children may receive further advice and help.
Only two cases of underweight children came to light, and in each of these
the parents preferred to consult their family doctor.
Overweight children proved to be in far greater numbers. The parents of
159 such children were approached, and in 75 cases the Department's offer
of advice and help was accepted. At the end of the year, however, only 43
children were then attending at regular intervals for advice and for the
recording of their weight, etc.
Some degree of success has been achieved under this scheme, which, of
course, must rest largely upon the co-operation of parents and children.
One outstanding "success story" is worthy of note: that of the elevenyear-old
girl who in seven months reduced from eleven stone nine pounds
to nine stone seven-and-a-half pounds.
Enuresis
Twenty-two automatic enuresis alarm devices are available locally to assist
in the treatment of enuretic children.
The list of children awaiting issue of these alarms contained 59 names at
the end of the previous year. To that figure 78 further names were added
during 1970, making a total of 137. Fifty-six children were issued with
alarms. Of 20 others offered alarms, thirteen no longer required them and
no response was received in the case of the remaining seven.
During the year, 38 children responded successfully and three improved,
but in fifteen cases no success was reported. A check made after six months
of 35 reported cured cases revealed that 20 were still dry and two had
relapsed; and thirteen failed to keep appointments.
Sixty-one names remained on the list at the end of the year, and it is
perhaps understandable that some parents—far from being dismayed at
learning of the existence of a waiting list—expressed relief on finding that
they were not alone with their problem.
Recuperative holidays
Four children were sent on recuperative holidays of two weeks duration.
Holidays arranged by the British Diabetic Society and by the British Epilepsy
Association were also enjoyed by two Enfield children.
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