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Ringworm of the scalp
During the year 11 cases occurred sporadically in 3 schools throughout the Borough and in conjunction
with the Department of Mycology at St. John's Hospital for Diseases of the Skin, screening by Wood's
Light was immediately undertaken of all children in the school in order to exclude contact cases. The
few contacts found have in all cases been relatives or close friends. It would therefore seem that the
condition has been transferred in the home situation rather than the school.
Verrucas
During the year one medical officer made a study of the problem of plantar warts in school children,
under the instruction of the Consultant Dermatologist at the Prince of Wales's Hospital.
It is intended that this medical officer will advise on the treatment of intractable cases. While
recognising the value of carrying out physical education in bare feet, after taking the advice of
dermatologists and having regard to the shortage of school nursing staff, I have reluctantly continued to
advise against physical education in bare feet.
Handicapped Pupils
The Education Act 1944 places on local education authorities the duty of ascertaining handicapped
pupils in their areas and of providing special educational treatment for such children. Though it is the
duty of the local authority to ascertain these children from the age of two years, it is often desirable,
especially in the case of blind, deaf or cerebral palsied children, that the defect be discovered before
this age, so that steps may be taken to help the child to develop as normally as possible despite his
handicap.
TheSchool Health Service and Handicapped Pupils Regulations 1959 defined the various categories
of handicapped pupils as follows:-
Blind Epileptic
Partially Sighted Maladjusted
Deaf Physically Handicapped
Partially Hearing Delicate
Educationally Subnormal Children suffering from speech defects
Pupils handicapped by severe blindness or deafness are normally educated in special schools.
Special educational treatment may be provided for other categories in an ordinary school with special
considerations appropriate to the disability. Where this is not appropriate, arrangements are made for
handicapped children to attend day or residential special schools.
Home tuition may be arranged on a temporary or permanent basis for children unsuitable for education
at school.
The following tableshows the number of pupils newly ascertained as handicapped, and newly placed
in special schools during the year, and the distribution of ascertained handicapped children on the 19th
January, 1967.
83