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(a) The children classified as brain damaged
include those who have been handicapped
following a head injury or following an
infection such as meningitis.
During the first six months of 1970 the
unit was understaffed by physiotherapists
but in September the full staff establishment
was completed.
An increasing number of children under
school age now attend the unit regulaly for
treatment after school closes each day The
figures for the last three years are
1968 1969 1970
50 45 53
The increase in the number of spina bifida
children attending both the school and the
pre-school group has produced new problems
in management and needs necessary reasses
sment of the time allotted to treatment For
manv of the children daily visits to the
department are essential in order to have
adequate supervision of their backs and skin
Group classes for the spina bifida children
have been started in an attempt to stimulate
them and to increase their mobility and co
ordination.
An evening meeting was held for the
parents of these children in conjunction with
the headmaster of the school At the meeting
the staff tried to give the parents a broader
understanding of the programme for the
physical and educational development of
their chi Idren.
82 children received speech therapv during
the year. The defects treated being
Dysarthria 36
Dysphasia 9
Stammer 2
High frequency loss and dvslalia 1
Retarded speech and language develop
ment 20
Multiple congenital deformities 4
Spina bifida 10
A group of children with spina bifida was
seen by Dr Joan Reynell educational
psychologist from the Wolfson centre who
is particularly interested in the language
development of these children Many of the
children with spina bifida speak fluently but
with poor language content Dr Reynell tested
these children together with the speech
therapist at the school and devised a programme
of therapy She hopes to re assess them after
one year.
A high proportion of children with cerebral
palsy attend the Paul Sandifer centre at the
Hospital for Sick Children Great Ormond Street
During the year a scheme was started whereby
a group of Martindale children are seen at the
centre on one morning thus enabling the doctor
and therapist concerned with the care of the
children to be present at the interview This
is most helpful to all concerned.
Sports activities have continued under the
supervision of the physiotherapists Teams
were coached and entered for the Stoke
Mandeville Games and the Triangular Inter
Schools Match At the invitation of the Inner
London Education Authority a team of
swimmers participated in a gala at Putney
baths.
During the year Mr Scrutton remedial
physiotherapist from the Spastics Society gave
a useful lecture on walking aids and Mrs
Horton the physiotherapist from the Wolfson
centre same to talk about the normal develop
ment of hand and arm function.
The teaching activities of the unit have
continued Ten medical students from St
Bartholomew s hospital attended a lecture
demonstration and the physiotherapy students
from the West Middlesex hospital attended for
their paediatric experience Post graduate
students from the West Middlesex Hospital
on the DCH course pay regular visits to the
unit.
Baroness Serota visited the unit when
Minister of State at the Department of Health
and Social Security and appeared to be very
interested in the activities Dr Jessie Parfitt
from the National Bureau of Child Care who
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