View report page

Mothers and Children
In 1966 over 4,000 babies were bom to Waltham Forest parents; of these 65 were
stillborn. More than half of the stillbirths were premature or had severe malformation which
would be incompatible with life. The majority of expectant mothers attended ante-natal clinics,
but still occasional patients did not attend until the end of pregnancy and others were unwilling
to accept advice. This caused great anxiety and extra work for staff who were responsible for
their safety. With the improving ante-natal and perinatal care it is unusual for a mother or infant
to die at childbirth and many children avoid handicap because of this care. Some who would have
died because of severe congenital abnormalities nowadays as a result of medical progress live
and require special care and attention, sometimes all their life. These and others who might be
handicapped were kept under constant surveillance soearly diagnosis and treatment could be carried
out.
All babies born in 1966 were visited by a Health Visitor at home soon after thev were
discharged by the District Midwife or from Hospital and 3,425 of these attended Infant Welfare
Clinics. The work of the entire Clinic Staff is now being made more difficult by the varied
nationalities of mothers in the Borough, some of whom speak no English and in spite of facilities
make no attempt to learn. Interpreters, sign language, letters to and from husbands and literature
in various languages are methods used to try to communicate with them. Older pre-school
children attended Toddler Clinics and children considered at risk were seen for special
investigations and referred for Consultant opinion when handicaps were found.
The majority of children seen in 1966 in the clinics grew normally - physically and
mentally - but for the unfortunate minority this is something they will never experience. At
present there are 168 children in this Borough under school age already known to have moderate
or severe handicaps. Included are mental retardation, defects of vision, hearing, muscular,
skeletal or other symptoms. Some will require special educational help on attaining school age
in day school, residential school, Hospital school or Training Centre. These children are given
special help when necessary and assessed prior to statutory school age.
During the year some children were admitted to hospital. Sometimes the illness was
acute and although dramatic in severity and speed of recovery has left no permanent disability.
In other cases the illnesses have been severe and permanent.
Some admissions to hospital were preventable and were due to accidents in the home.
In spite of health education, television propaganda and common sense, medicines and household
cleansing materials are still left where children can lay hands on them. 71 children (mainly
toddlers) were admitted during 1966 to one hospital from this Borough having taken pills or
liquids. Each family was specially visited after the child's discharge from hospital to see if
more advice could prevent further accidents. Fortunately none of these children died but three
involved in motor-car accidents did.
All five day nurseries have combined to look after children placed in their care. All
have experienced periods of quarantine because of infectious diseases - sometimes two illnesses
at the same time, and this meant fewer admissions for some periods. The children have attended
for various and carefully screened reasons but an increasing number are attending because they
are handicapped mentally, physically or psychologically. The Development Play Sessions in the
Clinics which are reserved for pre-school children who are disturbed or because of home circum;
stances are in danger of becoming disturbed were fully used in 1966 and all had long waiting lists.
With the increasing number of flats more and more children have "nowhere to play" and must be
kept quiet to avoid complaints from neighbours.
- 11 -