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137
7. FOLLOWING UP.
The arrangements for following up defects found at medical
inspection were set out fully in the report for 1920, and these
have been continued throughout. The School Nurses have paid
3,479 visits to the homes of children in whom defects were found
at medical inspection, and for special investigation purposes. Of
the 751 children referred for treatment, 571 or 76 per cent. have
obtained treatment. The School Nurses have also paid 229 special
visits to the Schools, and 31 visits to the Feeding Centres, and
have undertaken 33 journeys in connection with the admission and
discharge of children to Institutions. All children, referred for
the operative treatment of tonsils and adenoids (549), have been
visited by the School Nurses both prior to and after the operation
The value of the work of the School Nurses cannot be overestimated
: it is they who come in close touch with the children
and parents in the home, and to the School Nurses belongs the
satisfaction of knowing that it is largely owing to their efforts that
the incidence of disease amongst the children is declining year by
year.
The difficulties encountered during the course of the Nurses'
following-up visits are becoming less and less frequent each year
and the majority of parents are not only willing but anxious to
follow the advice given by the School Medical Officers. There are
a minority however who consistently disregard the proffered
advice and it is by no means uncommon for the School Nurse
concerned to make six or seven visits in order to persuade or
encourage a parent that the treatment prescribed is imperative to
the health of the child.
The County Borough of East Ham is fortunate in possessing
a very keen, efficient and well-qualified staff of School Nurses, upon
whose work has depended, to a large extent, the highly satisfactory
results obtained by the School Medical Service, both in the
direction of ensuring the adoption by the parents of the advice
given by the Medical Officers and of determining and securing for
the children the necessary preventive and curative treatment
required.