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23
(k) Paediatric Clinic.—In July Dr. Elchon Hinden Paediatrician
to Whipps Cross Hospital, commenced a fortnightly
Paediatric Clinic, and up to the end of the year 71 patients had
been seen.
The commencement of this Clinic was brought to the notice
of all Medical Practitioners, and has proved of great value,
especially in view of the ready availability of in-patient treatment
at Whipps Cross Hospital.
(l) Speech Therapy.—Treatment centres are provided at the
Old Education Offices, High Street, and at the Open Air School.
Miss C. M. Gregory reports as follows :—
During this last year 152 children have been treated. This is
about 50 less than the year 1949-50, because the Clinic was closed
during the summer term owing to leave of absence. The average
weekly attendance was 110.
About 75 per cent of the Clinic attendances were made by
Infants, 5 per cent by Seniors and the rest—20 per cent—by
Juniors. The proportion of Infants who stammer to dyslalics is
1:8. There is a slightly stronger tendency for stammering and
dyslalia to come together in an Infant child. Of the Juniors, only
one in seven has an ordinary speech defect ; the rest are stammerers.
Every one of the Seniors (none of whom is a girl) has a stammer.
I would like to thank the Heads of Schools for being so
co-operative, and the transport officer for seeing that the bus is
always available, though he has many calls on his transport.
Miss A. M. Hemmings reports :—
The majority of children treated this year have been of Infant
school age, there being twice as many boys as girls.
Attendances have been regular, thanks to the school bus, and
most of the children have been treated individually.
A marked difference in progress is noticed according to the
degree of co-operation of parents, and treatment is often facilitated
by advice from the other medical services.
I should like to thank Head Teachers, especially those of the
Special Schools for the interest that they have taken in Speech
Therapy.