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Child Welfare Clinics.
The attendances at the Child Welfare Clinics during 1946 are shown in Table XII
in Appendix.
The total number of attendances at the Infant Welfare and Toddlers' Clinics during
1946 was 13,897, as compared with 14,070 for 1945.
Approximately 70% of all infants born in Southall during 1946 were brought for
consultation at least once. In addition to this, the children attending the nurseries were
examined medically there. These children would in many cases have been brought to the
clinics for consultation if medical advice had not been available in the nurseries.
Pre-School Medical Inspection (Toddlers' Clinics).
Toddlers' Clinics are held fortnightly at each centre. The total attendances at these
clinics were 737, 342 at the Manor House and 395 at the Branch Centre. (See Appendix,
Tables XIV, XV, XVI, XVII and XVIII.)
The general physical condition of children under five years of age in Southall is
on the whole satisfactory, as the defects found, although apparently large in number, contain
many of a minor degree which are present fortuitously at the time of examination and are
quickly remedied.
Many children were selected during the year for treatment at the remedial exercise
classes, where defects of posture and slight deformities are corrected by specially arranged
courses of exercise. Beneficial results are achieved in early cases and small defects prevented
from having serious debilitating effects in later life.
An increase is to be noted in the number of children found with enlarged tonsils.
Difficulty in obtaining treatment for children requiring removal of tonsils has been increasing.
The waiting lists at the Hillingdon County Hospital are extremely long, and children have
had to wait as much as one year for this treatment to be carried out.
Enlargement of tonsils and adenoids is more likely to occur in children suffering
from frequent colds and it seems possible that the inadequacy of shoes which parents can
purchase for their young children, the shortage of coal for heating homes, and the unsuitability
of much of the clothing sold for babies may have contributed to the increase here
noted.
Treatment.
Cases of acute illness, and of chronic illness, where indicated, are referred to their
own doctors for treatment. For certain illness the following arrangements have been made
with London and local hospitals :—
Defect Hospital
Tonsils and Adenoids Hillingdon County Hospital.
Orthopaedic conditions North Road School Clinic.
Ophthalmic „ North Road School Clinic.
Rheumatic „ Hospital for Sick Children, Great Ormond Street, W.C.
Child guidance West End Hospital for Nervous Diseases, Welbeck Street, W.i.
Deafness Metropolitan Ear, Nose and Throat Hospital.
A system of following-up has been instituted whereby the health visitors make
enquiries to see if the proper treatment has been carried out and, if not, steps are taken to
persuade the parent to obtain the necessary treatment.
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