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Glasses are provided free of cost, except that parents requesting
special frames are required to pay the additional charge. Where the
ophthalmic surgeon decides that it is advisable a child should have a
second pair, because of the special need of avoiding his not wearing
glasses for any period of time, these are provided. Repairs also are
undertaken free of cost.
(b) Ear, Nose and Throat Cases.
Children considered to be in need of ear, nose and throat treatment
are referred to the appropriate department of Redhill County Hospital,
where up to the end of the year early appointments were made, and those
considered to be in need of operative treatment were admitted within a
few days, being kept in hospital both before and after the operation.
(c) Physio-therapy.
Children suffering from any defect of the limbs are referred to the
clinic at 76, Marlborough Hill where they are seen in the first instance by
the consultant physio-therapist. Most cases are treated by such means
as active or passive exercises, by the provision of appliances, by various
forms of electro-therapy or actinotherapy. Special cases are referred
to the consultant orthopaedic surgeon under whose care those needing
in-patient stay are admitted. Children suffering from such general
conditions as debility, or asthma, are seen by the physio-therapist, many
being referred for such treatment as general ultra-violet irradiation or
breathing exercises.
(d) Child Guidance.
A Child Guidance Clinic is held at 2, St. John's Road, Harrow, being
maintained by the County Council and serving areas other than Harrow.
The clinic cannot cope with the work referred so there is a considerable
waiting list, and a long time has now to elapse before a patient can be
seen after being referred. It is probable that the clinic could be kept
fully engaged, dealing with patients only from this area.
(e) Speech Therapy.
A speech therapist works at 2, St. John's Road, Harrow, dealing
with other districts as well as Harrow. Again, it is probable that if the
staff and accommodation were available it would be possible to engage
the time of two therapists, dealing with children only from this district.
(f) Cleansing.
Much of the time of school nurses was at one time taken up by their
visiting schools to examine children's heads, and taking the necessary
steps to ensure the cleansing of those requiring treatment. The fall in
the infestation rate to to-day's relatively low level is a tribute to the good
work done. These duties can, though, well be undertaken by someone
who has had less training, and experience, than the present-day health
visitor, so in this district the work is undertaken under the direction of
the health visitors by two health assistants. Each is responsible for
the schools in her own area. She examines the heads of all children in