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29
For some years, much concern has been felt regarding the
number of minor orthopaedic defects found in each medical
examination of school children. These children had to attend
the school clinics for treatment, which might entail a full
session out of school, or else receive no treatment at all.
An experiment was tried in 1942 when the Organisers of
Physical Education submitted to me a list of exercises for
remedial treatment for these minor defects, to be given by
selected teachers in the schools. The children were to receive
a short period of 15 minutes' treatment daily. In arranging
this treatment in the schools, it was hoped that valuable time
spent in going to the clinics would be saved. This scheme
proved reasonably satisfactory in the beginning, but it was
noticeable that little or no progress was made in the majority
of cases. This can be attributed to the fact that specialised
knowledge is required for this form of treatment and for the
appreciation of slight deviation from normal. About this
time, air raids re-commenced, some of the teachers who were
assisting in the treatment left the area and the whole scheme
of remedial treatment was abandoned.
It was found that the only solution to the problem would
be to appoint a remedial gymnast who would visit the schools
and would treat the children scientifically under medical
supervision. For two years the scheme was held up owing to
the 'change-over' under the 1944 Education Act and the
difficulty of finding a remedial gymnast available for the work.
However, in January, 1947, a remedial gymnast commenced
work in Hendon. She is fully qualified in Educational and
Remedial Gymnastics, having had three years' training at a
recognised Physical Training College, and possessing the
Diploma of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy.
REMEDIAL CLASSES:
These vary in size from five to twenty-six children, the
average being twelve.
The facilities vary in different schools, but children work
bare footed and stripped to the waist, or if the room is not
too well heated, wear their physical training clothes. Blankets
are provided in the majority of schools for use in floor work.