London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

View report page

Walthamstow 1946

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Walthamstow]

This page requires JavaScript

TABLE IV.—Problems Referred

1. Nervous Disorders
(e.g., Fears, depression, excitability, apathy, etc.)18
2. Habit Disorders and Physical Symptoms
(e.g., Bed-wetting, speech disorders, sleep disturbance, feeding difficulties, involuntary movements, fits)76
3. Behaviour Disorders
(e.g., Unmanageable, temper, aggressiveness, steal' ing, lying, truancy and sex difficulties)56
4. Educational Problems
(Failure to learn, lack of concentration)15
5. Special Examinations
(e.g., Court, placement in hostel, educational advice)5

Habit disorders, physical symptoms and behaviour disorders
form a large proportion of the problems as referred. This is, of
course, mainly due to the frequency with which such troubles
present themselves as a pointer to emotional or other maladjustments
in children. There is also the fact that disturbance's of this
nature have often a very real nuisance value to those in contact
with the child, and therefore such problems easily come to the
notice of those referring a case.
Conditions in group I such as fears, apathy, depression,
produced only eighteen of the one hundred and seventy cases
referred. On investigation it was found that many of the children
in this group are in fact seriously disturbed.
Group 4, Educational problems, appears as a very small proportion
in the figures shown, it must be remembered that only in
cases where social or emotional difficulties seriously complicate the
education picture do such children come for complete examination.
The main bulk of the educational problems is dealt with by Miss
Hammond in her school work, and is reported by her separately.