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deaf, three audiometricians and clerical staff employed
by the Borough. The principal medical officer is
responsible for the general administration of the
clinic, the medical supervision of the pupils in the
school for the deaf and in the classes for the partially
hearing, and for the re-examination of some of the
children on the clinic register.
The two teachers of the deaf give auditory training
to children to whom hearing aids have been issued,
pay home visits and advise the parents of pre-school
children attending the clinic, and maintain contact
with teachers in normal and other special schools who
have pupils with a hearing loss in their class. They
also assist in the training of teachers taking the course
for teachers of the deaf at London University.
In addition to routine testing in schools the audiometricians
test children attending the clinic, check and
carry out minor repairs of hearing aids and take
impressions for ear moulds for children using or being
given a hearing aid. During the year, 339 impressions
for ear moulds were taken and a trial is being made
of a new impression material in an attempt to find a
material which can be used as an immediate ear
mould.
Children are referred to the clinic by medical
officers of health, hospitals, general practitioners and
school medical officers. The prime purpose of the
clinic is to discover the presence of hearing loss, to
assess its degree, to advise on treatment and management
of the handicap and on the most suitable method
of education. All children suggested for admission to
the school for the deaf and to the classes for the
partially hearing are seen at the clinic prior to
acceptance and those admitted are seen periodically
throughout their school life. During the year, 239 new
cases were seen and 787 re-examinations carried out.
The number of infants and children under school age
among the new cases is steadily increasing and this
acceptance of the importance of early diagnosis is
welcome.
During the year National Health Service hearing
aids were issued to 40 children and 33 others were
supplied with commercial aids. A number of commercial
hearing aid manufacturers have kindly loaned
aids for trial and these have been used in the classes
for the partially hearing and in the school for the
deaf, in an endeavour to secure the maximum use of
the children's hearing.
Parent meetings are held at the clinic for parents of
pre-school children with a hearing defect. They are
held usually at six week intervals and talks are given
by the clinic staff and others. These meetings provide
the parents with the opportunity to discuss their
problems and to seek answers to their difficulties and
doubts. The clinic is visited by medical and nursing
students, doctors, teachers, speech therapists and
others, and overseas visitors are frequent. During the
year the total of such visitors was 248.
8. Medical Advisory Unit
A medical advisory unit was started at Martindale
School for the Physically Handicapped in 1956. Its
purpose is to provide a comprehensive assessment
and observation clinic for children suffering from a
physical handicap and to advise on the management
and education of such children. The unit provides
medical treatment and supervision of the pupils in
attendance at the school and keeps under observation
children suffering from physical defects attending
other schools and the junior training schools in the
Borough. The comprehensive facilities make the unit
rather unique and for that reason it is available also
to children living in other districts including Ealing,
Hillingdon, Richmond and the northern division of
Surrey. The unit works in close co-operation with any
hospital at which the child attends.
A paediatrician (weekly), an orthopaedic surgeon
(each term) and an ophthalmologist (twice each term)
are provided by the Regional Hospital Board while
the Borough provides the services of a principal
medical officer, nurse, four physiotherapists, two
speech therapists, a psychologist, an orthoptist, a
dentist and an audiometrician. The assessment, treatment
and education of these children is essentially a
team effort and very close liaison is maintained with
the headmaster and teaching staff of the school. The
principal school medical officer is responsible for
administration and co-ordination.
Some indication of the types of handicap dealt with
at the unit during the year is given overleaf—
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