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47
The 24 pupils attending schools in this area were all reported
to be satisfactorily placed.
A circular letter was sent to all General Practitioners in the
Borough setting out the advice of the Standing Medical Advisory
Committee of the Ministry of Health and stressing the following
recommendations of the Committee:—
(1) The greatest care must be taken that children are not
unnecessarily "labelled" as epileptics.
(2) Sufferers from epilepsy should be encouraged to secure
treatment for their disability and to follow the medical
advice they are given.
(3) The services of an educational psychologist should be
available when the educational requirements of a child
with epilepsy are being assessed.
(4) Children suffering from epilepsy should, as far as possible,
be educated at ordinary schools.
(5) The general practitioner should inform the School Medical
Officer of any child with epilepsy who is about to attain
school age and is to attend an ordinary school.
(6) The decision to send a child suffering from epilepsy to a
special school should be taken only after assessment at
a hospital diagnostic clinic.
Close liaison is maintained with the Paediatric Department of
Whipps Cross Hospital, and with the Queen Elizabeth Children's
Hospital, Hackney Road, and the Hospital for Sick Children, Great
Ormond Street. Pre-school children suspected of epilepsy and
coming to the notice of the Health Visiting Staff are notified by
them and placed on the pre-handicapped register and are subject
to constant review.
(d) Deaf Children.
Finally the arrangements for the ascertainment and treatment
for children with defective hearing was reviewed with the following
results:—
(a) Children who need only special placing in the
classroom of an ordinary school 93
(b) Children who with the use of hearing aids are
progressing satisfactorily in an ordinary day
school 4