View report page

85
This is the first year that a clinic has been held in an Ilford school,
and although this is still an experiment, it is interesting to note the
advantages and disadvantages of working on school premises.
Attendance is more regular, resulting frequently in a quicker discharge
rate, and there is of course greater opportunity for discussion
with teachers. On the other hand, however, is the disadvantage of
seeing parents far less regularly. Apprehensive children can attend
with their friends, and by not removing the child from his daily
surroundings not only is less attention drawn to the speech defect,
but far less schooling is lost than when travelling to and from an
outside clinic.
Although there has been little school visiting due to the pressure
of work in the clinics, we have maintained good contact with head
teachers, and we have been grateful for their continued co-operation
and assistance.
Health Visitors have been most helpful and we have now laid
the foundations for more direct contact with individual health visitors
so that we can keep in touch with unco-operative parents.
There is still no tape-recorder in Ilford for the use of the Speech
Therapists. As has been previously stated this could be an invaluable
aid to therapy and in certain cases would shorten the period of treatment
required."
The defects treated were as follows:—
Stammering 65
Dyslalia 132
Rhinophonia 6
Cleft Palate 8
Dysphonia 3
Dysarthria 2
Others 33
97 children of school age were discharged from the Clinics during the
year. In 59 cases the speech was normal. Of the remaining 38 cases, 7
ceased to attend for treatment, 12 left school or left the district, 6 refused
treatment, 13 were referred elsewhere.
School Dental Servcie.—Mr. E. V. Haigh, Senior Dental Officer,
reports as follows:—
"Full dental treatment was given to school children, expectant and
nursing mothers and children under 5 years of age. This treatment
consisted of conservative dentistry, extractions, orthodontics and the
supplying of dentures when necessary.
School dental treatment was carried out in the Ilford area at
Mayesbrook Clinic and Valentines Dental Clinic, both Clinics having
two surgeries, and at Manford Way Clinic with one surgery in use.
Emergency treatment on two mornings a week continued during
1956 at Mayesbrook Clinic. Any school child may attend from any
school in Ilford without an appointment and receive treatment to
relieve toothache or to make an appointment to have an anaesthetic
for extractions and conservative dentistry. The attendance on these
mornings has averaged 20-30 per session.
Most extractions were done under General anaesthesia—these being
given by a Medical Officer. One or two sessions were devoted to this
per week at each Clinic when an average of 20 patients were treated
per session,