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At present this scheme is still in the trial stages and a few more months of
experience are required before we can assess just what staff and facilities will be
required. At the end of the year 394 children were on the register and 135 examinations
had been done. Appointments for examination were two months in arrears.
The examinations have picked up two children at very early ages with degrees of
deafness, both of whom have been provided with hearing aids. This will do much to ensure
that they will develop normally with normal speech and understanding, and gives one
confidence that the whole scheme is worth while.
TESTS FOR PHENYLKETONURIA
In 1963, 1,553 children were tested at the clinics and another 48 were tested in
their homes.
COMBINED ANTE-NATAL AND POST-NATAL CLINIC
411 patients made 1,926 attendances for ante-natal examination and treatment and
63 patients attended 68 times for post-natal examinations during 1963.
MOTHERCRAFT AND RELAXATION CLASSES
These classes, held by Health Visitors, proved as popular and as helpful to the
mother as ever. There were 94 sessions held during the year at which mothers made 510
attendances.
DENTAL CLINICS
The Area Dental Officer reports as follows:-
"Much of what is said in the School section of this report applies equally well
to the younger children, but in their case regular inspection at not longer than three
monthly intervals is desirable from the time that the temporary dentition has erupted.
It is in this sphere that I consider the services of our dental auxiliary so valuable
as she can make friends with these children before any operative treatment becomes
necessary, familiarise them with the new and strange surroundings, instruct them in
tooth brushing and dental hygiene from an early age and do any necessary conservative
work in the earliest possible stage of decay.
In addition ante, and post-natal mothers referred by the Medical Officers or Health
Visitors were seen and treated where necessary.
The Council's School Dental Officers devote about 1/10th of their time to this
work.
It is pleasing to see that some of these mothers were themselves treated in the
Authority's Clinics when at school in this Area."
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