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of defects recorded as requiring observation or treatment was 3,309 among 9,823 children examined
at routine medical inspections, i.e. 33.7%.
An analysis of the figures for the various defects shows that four main medical areas are involved,
namely defects of vision, hearing, speech, and orthopaedics. Among the children at entrance examination,
the most important defects in order of frequency are: hearing, vision and speech; among the
children seen at intermediate and leaver examinations however, these defects show a different
distribution, i.e. vision, hearing, and orthopaedics.
The obvious importance of hearing and vision in the education of the child and the fact that
these two areas attract a large number of defects has emphasised the necessity of more frequent
inspection in these fields. The Council has therefore decided to examine every school child in its
maintained schools for vision every two years from entry and audiometrically every three years. An
additional audiometrician has been trained and began work in September 1972 to supplement the
work of the existing audiometrician, who has been testing children in the Borough since 1965.
Speech defects are most numerous among children below the age of seven and are often only
discussed or assessed for the first time at the entrance examination. Every medical officer is equipped
with a speech screening test which identifies sounds which the child has difficulty in producing.
Reference can then be made to an appropriate clinic where the speech therapist will assess the child,
advise the parents and begin treatment where necessary.
Personal Hygiene
The London Borough of Hillingdon in implementing its powers under Section 54 of the Education
Act 1944 has adopted the following procedure:
Primary Schools
A full inspection for cleanliness of person and clothing is to be conducted each autumn term
in every school and re-visits to schools are to be made until an inspection of all children on roll at
each school has been completed. If after completing inspection—
(a) not one case of infestation is found, then no further routine inspection for cleanliness
will be carried out until the following autumn term.
(b) one or more cases of infestation are found, then a full inspection for cleanliness will be
conducted during the following spring term. If there should be a further case or cases of
infestation found during the spring term then another full inspection will be conducted
during the summer term. If no cases of infestation are found during the spring term, the
next routine inspection will take place in the following autumn term.
Secondary Schools
The first, second, third and fourth year children will be inspected on exactly the same principle
as outlined for the primary schools.
The cleanliness and inspection of the fifth year children will be carried out at the same time as
routine medical inspection which takes place during the school year in which a pupil attains the age
of 16 years. There will be no further inspection of senior children unless cases of infestation are found
in the group. If such infestation is found, the method of inspection adopted to combat further infestation
will be left to the discretion of the Principal School Medical Officer. At any other time complaints
of infestation of individual pupils will cause immediate inspection under the Section in the interest
of the health and well-being of all school children.
Cleanliness Inspections
Regrettably, an increase in the number of children infested with head lice occurred during
1972. In all, 237 children were found to be infested for the first time in a total number of 64,486
inspections made. In spite of extra vigilance by school nurses, shown by the increase in the number of
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