London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Bromley 1966
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Bromley]
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153
Speech Therapy
During this year in addition to the Senior Speech Therapist
there was only one full-time therapist in Bromley until November
when a full-time therapist was appointed to Beckenham and
another part-time therapist was appointed to Chislehurst leaving
only one part-time appointment vacant, the other appointments
being "frozen" until 1968.
Nevertheless 276 children were treated in the Clinics including
three pre-school deaf children. 51 children were seen in the
Special Schools and 63 children on the waiting list were interviewed
bringing the total of children seen to 390.
Of the 276 children treated in the Clinics the case distribution was as follows:—
| Stammering | 49 |
| Dyslalia | 129 |
| Retarded speech and language development | 34 |
| Cleft palate (repaired) | 7 |
| Dysarthria | 1 |
| Motor aphasia | 2 |
| Dysphonia | 2 |
| Deaf | 14 |
| Interdental speech | 27 |
| Lateral sigmatism | 9 |
| Inadequate nasopharyngeal closure | 2 |
| Total | 276 |
186 cases were closed for the following reasons:—
| Improved | 100 |
| Reported to be no longer in need of therapy | 12 |
| Unlikely to benefit further | 5 |
| Family removed from area | 20 |
| Ceased attendance | 28 |
| Being treated elsewhere | 6 |
| Refused appointments | 13 |
| Left school | 2 |
| Total | 186 |
At the close of the year the waiting list stood at 175 including
37 priority cases.
It must be stressed that this service is still under strength
and that to cover the Borough adequately not only more therapists
but more Clinics are required.
The therapists endeavour to work closely with the schools but
with the long waiting lists at each Clinic are unable to make more