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By the end of the year a total of 1,999 children had been
examined. Of these, 754 were between 9 and 11 years of age; a
larger group, 1,226 were between 7 and 9 years old, and the small
remaining number were slightly younger children.
Although the programme this year was devoted largely to the
examination of pupils attending the Junior Schools in the Borough,
it is intended, as time and circumstances permit, to extend the service
to the other age groups.
Of the children examined, 108 failed the initial test, but
approximately 40% of these have subsequently proved to have
normal hearing when re-examined under more favourable conditions.
Of the others, many are still under investigation so that the
figures available are necessarily incomplete and it is not possible,
for example, to say what proportion of the defects will prove to be
remediable. In the great majority of cases so far discovered, the
deafness has been due to catarrhal conditions affecting the middle
ear. The cause next in order of frequency being recurrent acute
otitis media. A smaller number of defects were found to be due
to wax or foreign bodies in the meatus. So far, fifteen cases have
been referred to consultants for opinion, and a further three to their
family doctor for treatment. Of those referred to consultants, eight
were recommended for operative or other treatment, and the remainder
for further observation by the specialist concerned.
Another group of cases, where the defect is slight and probably
of a temporary nature, is remaining under observation by the school
doctors, in some cases with treatment at the school clinics. Those
with wax or foreign bodies in the ear have been treated, often with
dramatic results.
With only incomplete figures available, it is perhaps too soon
for the merits of the scheme to be fully assessed. It has become
clear that a number of children with hearing defects can be cured
or greatly helped by suitable treatment and, at least, further damage
to the ear will have been prevented. In other cases, where the ear
has been seriously damaged by previous disease and treatment
proves disappointing, measures such as the use of hearing aids,
attendance at lip reading classes, and education at Special Schools,
mav be necessary. In every case, however, awareness of the child's
difficulty will enable appropriate steps to be taken to meet his
particular needs, and even where this is nothing more spectacular
than suitable placing in the classroom, a valuable service will have
been performed.
INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS.
During the year, medical inspections were carried out at nine
independent schools, two of which were taking advantage of this
scheme for the first time. In all, at the 65 sessions held, 685 pupils