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PERSONAL HEALTH
Incidence of
Congenital
Abnormalities
detectable at birth
Notifications, with details, of babies, live and stillborn, with a detectable
abnormality, are submitted by the doctor or midwife in charge of the
confinement. A return of these notifications, amounting to 60 for the year,
was made to the Registrar General.
Phenylketonuria
"Battered Babies"
Syndrome
The Guthrie blood test continued to be used for the routine screening of
babies for phenylketonuria and 1,175 tests were carried out by this method.
In the limited number of cases where for any reason it was not possible to
complete a Guthrie blood test, the phenistix test was used, and 34 tests were
carried out by this method. None of the tests proved positive.
The group of local authority officers and other persons and organisations
concerned with the problem of young children injured by their parents,
which was formed in 1970 following the receipt of a circular from the
Department of Health and Social Security, gave further consideration to this
problem during 1971.
The procedure devised in 1970 for the early detection of cases where
"battering" is suspected, was revised.
During the year nine cases of suspected "battering" were investigated and
four children were considered to have received physical abuse. Appropriate
action was taken.
Non-Fatal Accidents to
Young Children in their
Homes
In 1969 arrangements were made for cases of accidental poisoning in
children under five years of age, treated at the Enfield Group of Hospitals,
to be reported to the Medical Officer of Health to enable a health visitor to
visit the parents and discuss with them precautions to prevent recurrence.
This procedure was continued, and during 1971 details of 99 incidents were
received under this scheme. Eighteen children had drunk paraffin, turpentine,
or domestic cleaning fluids. Thirty-seven children had swallowed aspirin
tablets and 28 children had swallowed tablets other than aspirin. The remaining
sixteen children had swallowed miscellaneous substances and
included one child who was alleged to have swallowed two "stink bombs"!
One child, aged two years, was admitted after swallowing some aspirin
tablets and re-admitted two months later after swallowing another type of
tablet. I am glad to be able to report that none of the children concerned
suffered any serious after-effects.
We also have an arrangement with the Ambulance Service whereby the
Health Office is informed whenever an ambulance is called to take to
hospital a child suffering from a burn or scald. During 1971, two children,
aged two years and three years, were notified under this scheme.
Family Planning
In October, 1970, the Council decided to adopt Plan No. 6 of the National
Family Planning Agency Scheme as from 1st April, 1971, and this scheme
came into effect as from that date. This scheme provided for the continuation
of the Council's arrangements for the provision of a free family planning
service to Enfield residents at sessions provided by the Family Planning
Association, for "medical" cases only. It included the acceptance of a
standard definition of "medical" case.
In November, 1971, the Council adopted Plan No. 5 of the above Agency
scheme which provides, for Enfield residents attending F.P.A. clinic sessions,
free consultation and free supplies to "medical" cases and free consultation
only for non-medical cases. This modification to the family planning service
was made effective from the date of the Council's decision.
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