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which would not otherwise be detected at such nn early age.
Attendance and interest have been particularly well
maintained."
Dr. D. J. Gordon-Smith reports as follows regarding the clinic at
the Heathcote Clinic:—
"The clinic at Heathcote is a new, purpose-built amenity, and
is set amongst a large number of new dwellings, including Council
houses and flats. Much of the population served have therefore
recently moved into the area and are largely of middle and upper
social class composition. A certain percentage of the problems
encountered are due to this re-housing, to living in flats, and to the
severance, in many instances, of close family ties.
The mothers and children are, in general, well nourished, wellclothed
and clean. The families tend to be small, with a maximum of
two or three children. The mothers are intelligent and fastidious and
are very concerned with the welfare of their offspring. Cases of
physical or mental neglect are rare, and broadly it is true to say
that those problems which do arise are due to over-solicitousness
rather than the reverse.
Miss Arnold and Mrs. Ferguson, the two Health Visitors
attached to the clinic, have an excellent rapport with the families
in the area and can give detailed case-histories of any child without
reference to notes. They are concerned with the physical and mental
health of the families and spend most of their time in visiting at
home. Families referred to the Toddlers' Clinic are, for all these
reasons, highly selected and tend to involve emotional and behaviour
disorders in the children, rather than physical disorders.
Major presenting problems include conditions such as tempertantrums,
enuresis, feeding difficulties, marital disturbances in the
parents, infertility in the mother and mothers referred for advice on
family planning. Some of the emotional difficulties in the children
appear to be fairly intractable and these include constant screaming
and other violent behaviour at home and in public, masturbation
and irrational fears of the dark and of strangers. In many such cases
there is a history of marital discord, or of one parent deserting the
home or psychiatric disturbance in a parent.
The purpose of the Toddlers' Clinic is to assess the child and
the mother, and then if necessary to offer immediate education and