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

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Walthamstow 1946

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Walthamstow]

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31
It was found (hat many children who were apparent failures
in school work were actually working up to capacity. A few were
ineducable. Some were of Special School grade. Most, however,
were helped by minor adjustments at school when the Head
Teachers were given exact information as to the real abilities of
the child.
A few children were given remedial teaching at the Clinic. In
one case it was recommended that the child should remain a further
year in the Infants' School.

The following table gives the statistics:-

Total number referred (including those re-examined and those carried over from 1945)155
102 new referrals
37 re-examinations
16 carried over from 1945.
Total examined (including re-examinations)145
Number in which advice given to school73
Number recommended for physical examination for transfer to Special school (2 Leyton cases)14
Number given remedial coaching4
Special school cases recommended to leave school3
Cases found ineducable9
Cases recommended to remain a further year in Infants' school1
Number passed on to Child Guidance Clinic for full diagnosis8
Number awaiting examination ......10

(vii) Speech Therapy.-—Miss Knight, your Committee's first
whole-time therapist, resigned in December, 1945, to take up a
similar appointment near her home. Miss Knight has given
conscientious service since her appointment.
Miss C. M. Gregory was appointd to succeed Miss Knight and
commenced duty in April, 1946. The following is her report:-
When I took over the Clinic in April, 1946, I found a waiting
list of 300. This list increased after September due to the influx
of children into the Infant Schools, to approximately 360.
Many of the cases of stammerers had got worse during the
lapse of time between Miss Knight leaving and my taking over,
consequently a great deal of old ground had to be gone over again,
which delayed the intake of new cases.
150 children are treated each week, 70 of these being stammerers
divided up into 12 classes, three senior, seven junior, two
infant.