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possible, with the full co-operation of the Paediatricians and
Obstetricians at the local hospitals, to compile a deliberately
restricted list of "At Risk" categories, which will operate from
1st January, 1968.
What promises to be a most rewarding and instructive line of
research has been the implementation of the Perinatal Survey. In
this we are co-operating, chiefly through the domiciliary midwifery
service, with a paediatrician at Farnborough hospital. It will be
appreciated that it is too early to give more than mention of this
project as it entails investigations over the next 2-3 years, but
without doubt certain very interesting and significant findings have
been observed.
INTERIM REPORT ON THE DEAF CHILD
E. Gaynor Lewis, m.b., b.ch., and
Bronwen Luscombe, m.b., b.ch.
On return from the course of instruction at the Nuffield Hearing
and Speech Centre, London, we arranged a symposium on the
course for the remaining Assistant Medical Officers, which in turn
was followed by a training course in screening techniques for
infants of 6-9 months, for all the health visitors. In order to eradicate
minor mistakes in techniques, which are known to occur, it is
proposed to hold a Refresher Course in mid 1968.
The screening is done mainly by health visitors, but is also
used in the routine developmental testing of infants by the assistant
medical officers. There are no statistics available, but the value of
the service is evidenced by the discovery already of several
unsuspected cases of hearing impairment in infants. Naturally,
priority is given to children already in the "At Risk" categories,
but in view of the fact that 50% of cases arise where there is no
ground to suspect a hearing impairment it is proposed to develop
the scheme to include all children.
Any child failing these tests is first seen by the Medical Officer
at the clinic and subsequently may be referred to the General
Practitioner, or direct to hospital with the former's consent. Facilities
exist at a special clinic for the follow-up of these children. In
this connection particular attention is paid to the assessment of the
"whole" child and its development. Health Visitors are particularly
asked to enquire about speech or language problems, particularly
from the age of 2 years, as failure to talk may be indicative of a
failure to hear.
We would like to express our appreciation of the co-operation
and helpful advice extended to us by the Consultants in this field,
at the local hospitals.