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7
Following-up.—A Review of the arrangements for the
Following-up of Children suffering from Physical
Defects, including a Summary of Work
undertaken by the School Nurses.
The discovery alone of physical defects in the school
child is not the sole purpose of the School Medical Service.
If the child is to receive any benefit from such
examination it follows that the recommendations given
at the time should be carried out, and the defective condition,
if at all possible, remedied. The parents are
therefore notified of the presence of any defect found in
their child, and are recommended at once to give it their
attention, either through their own private Doctor, 01
through the School Clinic. Those children having defects
are put upon record, and are not allowed to slip
past without some effort being made to remedy their
condition.
Some of the parents are very ready indeed to accept
our advice or our aid, but others, unfortunately, do not.
They do not see the necessity for it, or are indifferent to
the possible ill results to the child from their want of
attention. These latter are the cases which require to
be "followed-up" time after time, with patience and
tact. It is here that the qualities of your nurses are
tried. They visit the homes of the children to impress
upon the parents the necessity for dealing with these
defects, in order that their child may be fitted for the
battle of life.
Their persuasive powers are on many occasions
successful, so that we at the School Clinic are able to
give relief by the Dentist, the Ophthalmic Surgeon, the
Operating Surgeon for tonsils, etc., and where necessary,
the examination of children who want a little
advice or guidance in health. If one visit by the nurse
does not succeed we hope to succeed by another. If
promises are made by the parents, the nurse calls in a
few weeks' time to ascertain if these have been kept,
and the defect remedied.