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directly by school medical officers from routine medical inspections. The children are taught to
practice their exercises daily at home. Mothers sometimes observe the treatment and where
necessary are taught the postural drainage position as well as the children, so that mother can
help to manage the child's chest at acute times.
Only a few patients have been referred for treatment concerning slack or defective posture,
although some postural exercises were included for chest patients.
The largest group of patients currently on treatment is that with Pes Planus either with or
without associated Genu Valgum. These patients were referred for remedial feet exercises usually
by the medical officer at the monthly orthopaedic clinic. A few babies and infants with over-riding
toes have attended for corrective strapping, and one case of unilateral talipes-equinovarus for
corrective strapping also attended during 1971.
Last year saw the introduction of pre-school physically handicapped children being referred
for treatment at Uxbridge Clinic. Each child requires its own particular programme of activities
broadly incorporating techniques of developmental physiotherapy combined with teaching the
mother how to improve her handling of the child at home.
At the Special Care Unit at Moorcroft School, the children need a wide range of treatment
and the teaching staff welcome advice on suitable chairs, walking aids, and help with feeding
and toiletting. During the spring term contact was made with Martindale School, Hounslow, and
with the Spastic Society's Social Worker and the Physiotherapy Department at Hillingdon Hospital
to discuss treatments of certain patients.
During November, Mr. Busfield, F.R.C.S., held an orthopaedic clinic at Moorcroft School
which was of great benefit to the patients and parents.

Approximate number of treatments concerning physiotherapy at Uxbridge Clinic = 455,
two sessions a week.
Approximate number of treatments at Moorcroft School during 1971 = 728.
SPEECH THERAPY SERVICE
This has been a difficult year for the speech therapy service. Five part-time speech therapists
have endeavoured to give a service which in total was the equivalent of 1.2 full-time speech
therapists. An endeavour was made to give as wide a service as possible to the Borough although
this meant inevitably that a number of children were unable to secure treatment. Speech therapy
was offered to the severest disabilities in most cases.
During 1971 one weekly speech therapy clinic has been carried out at Harefield. Fifteen
children have received treatment during the year, nine of these have been discharged leaving six
having regular weekly treatment. There are five children at present on the waiting list. Apart from
one child with cleft palate speech, all the children seen at this clinic have been or are simple or
multiple dyslalics with varying degrees of language retardation.
Contact with the children's teachers by school visits is felt to be valuable, but care is taken
to keep in touch with parents, both personally and by letter. Sometimes a simple speech error
can be helped by the child "seeing" the fault in the written word especially when the visual memory
is good and the child finds auditory discrimination difficult.
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