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REPORT ON THE WORK OP THE SPEECH CLINIC
by Miss R. Clarke, L.C.S.T.
There have been no great changes at the Speech Clinic during I949. Clinics have
been held as usual at Credon Road and once a week at Grange Road Maternity and Child
Welfare Clinic. Children at the Elizabeth Pry Special School who require speech therapy,
receive treatment once a week at the school.
Statistics:
Children who attended the clinic 138
Regular attendants 106
Stammer 50
Dyslalia 63
Cleft palate 3
Slgmatism 10
Hyperrhinolalia 5
Mild deafness 5
Spastic 2
Discharged Improved 58
Several children have been referred to Mr.Scott, the Aural Surgeon, for examination.
Five children received treatment at the Child Guidance Clinic.
During the year two children, both girls, have been accepted for Moor House Residential
School for Children with Speech Defects. It is hoped there will be vacancies for
them early in 1950. One of the children has a cleft palate, the other is a severe case
of dyslalia. It was felt that, owing to their home conditions, and the severity of their
defects, they would not make satisfactory progress at the Speech Clinic.
CHILD GUIDANCE. Child guidance work, compared with other branches of school health
work, is a comparatively recent development. It has as its aim the investigation and
treatment of children with the following types of problems.
1. Nervous disorders, comprising such conditions as fears, shyness, daydreaming,
depressions and emotional instability.
2. Habit disorders, comprising such conditions as speech difficulties, food disorders,
enuresis and restlessness.
3. Behaviour difficulties, comprising such conditions as irritability, temper tantrums,
aggression and unmanageability.
4. Delinquency, comprising pilfering and truancy.
5. Educational difficulties, other than those arising from mental deficiency, which is
not a proper subject for child guidance; they comprise such conditions as educational
retardation, special disabilties, and children needing educational guidance.
The work is closely woven 1th many other sections of the Authority's medical
and educational service and there is close co-operation with the Probation Officer. This
introduction has again been included as the work of the Clinic is still not sufficiently
well known. The following report has been obtained from Dr. T.P. Riordan, the Medical
Director of the Child Guidance Clinic.
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