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Of these 898 cases, 191 failed one or more of
the last tests taken. It is not possible to give a
scientific analysis of these results but on reviewing
the cases individually it was felt that probably
about 83 out of the 191 cases were showing signs
either of physical or mental retardation to some
significant degree. A further 11 children were
showing signs of developmental retardation but
were already known to be suffering from a
specific handicap which could account for this.
Amongst these 191 children were a total of 51
children with a wide variety of defects ranging
from minor congenital and orthopaedic disorders
to more severe handicaps. A total of 37 of these
51 children were under the care either of
hospitals or our own medical units, including the
audiology unit and the medical advisory unit
attached to Martindale School. Once again the
range of handicap varied from minor to fairly
severe handicaps such as deafness, cerebral palsy
etc.
Of the 768 cases which were closed or were not
followed up almost half (402) moved out of the
borough before any follow-up could be undertaken.
A small percentage (43 children) did not
attend as they were attending hospital or their
general practitioner and the remainder were
non-attenders at clinics. Twenty-eight children
died within the first year of birth, 34 cases were
closed during the year as progressing with normal
development and at the end of the year there were
898 children remaining on the register for further
observation.
It is too early to comment upon the
effectiveness of this type of observation register.
It is felt that a fairly high proportion of children
with handicaps are being kept under observation
and that early knowledge of their defects will
enable both the Health and Education Departments
to provide appropriate help when
necessary. It is hoped that by continuing the
register for a few more years the early detection
of educational subnormality will become
possible. On the other hand, a high proportion of
children have not been seen and our interest has
now been stimulated to follow up some of the
non-attenders with the help of the health visitors.
There is also, of course, a fairly high proportion
of children who develop a handicap due to an
unknown cause and we rely upon our liaison with
hospitals, general practitioners, the help of clinic
doctors and the health visitors to refer these
children for further observation and full
assessment if in their opinion it is required.'
Children notified 'At risk' up to 31.12.66 1,666
Open cases
Children on register at end December 1966
and who attended at least once 898
Children who failed one or more of last
test taken 191
Failures thought to be significant 83
Failures associated with known handicaps 11
Failures thought probably not to be of
significance 97
Cases closed or not followed up 768
Moved away 402
Died 28
Closed, normal development 34
Non-attenders, reason not stated 202
Non-attenders, mother did not wish to attend 59
Non-attenders, attending GP or hospitals 43
Phenylketonuria
Health visitors carry out phenistix tests for
phenylketonuria on as many young babies as
possible at the ages of three and six weeks.
No positive reactions were obtained.
Care of the Unsupported Mother and her Child
The work of caring for unsupported mothers by
making arrangements for their welfare during
pregnancy, their place of confinement and
eventually their return to life in the community,
and also satisfactory care for their babies, has
continued under the medical social worker whose
office is in Ealing but who undertakes this work
for Ealing, Hillingdon and Hounslow. During the
year the borough accepted financial responsibility
for eighteen mothers placed in St Agnes Home,
Chiswick, maintained by the Hammersmith
Deanery Association for Moral Welfare Work
and for fifty-five mothers placed in homes
outside the borough. These mothers are required
to pay a standard charge towards their care
subject to assessment on the council's scale of
charges.
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