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The miscellaneous conditions include such cases as myositis ossificans, severe
congenital dorsal scoliosis, Hand-Schuller-Christian disease, achondroplasia, post vaccinal
encephalitis, ectopia vesicae, arthrogryposis, fragilitas ossium, cerebellar tumours,
congenital absence of limbs and other defects.
The incidence of physically handicapped pupils for the day special school remains
fairly constant in the region of 2 per 1,000 registered pupils. The Ministry of Education
have put forward a plea for the retention of handicapped children in ordinary schools
wherever possible,,
ELIZABETH PRY SPASTIC UNIT
This unit was opened on 13th June, 1954. It consists of a large nursery school room
where the children spend most of their time - educational and play activities, refreshments
and dinner and rest periods. There is a large well equipped physiotherapy room where massage
and various exercises are carried out; also a smaller room for the same purpose. A well
equipped room for speech therapy is also in use and, in this connection, a speech therapy
tape recording apparatus is installed.
Other rooms to complete the unit are toilets, a workshop where furniture is adapted
and gadgets made for special cases, a pram shed and staff rooms. In the area around the
unit is a playground of sufficient size where the children play with special apparatus and
where some ride tricycles. In the summer the rest periods are taken here. A garden is
planned to be laid out.
The staff consists of a nursery school teacher, a nursery nurse and a welfare attendant.
In addition to the children in the unit twenty-four pupils of the Elizabeth Fry
Physically Handicapped school attended for treatment of various kinds - in the physiotherapy
and speech sections.
The procedure for the admission and the attendance of children at this unit is as
follows:-
All children recommended, from whatever source, as possible cases for admission to or
attendance at the above unit are first referred to the School Health department for medical
assessment as to their suitability. Arrangements are there made for Dr.Hinden, the
Consultant Paediatrician, to see the case to assess the physical state; and when any
question of associated mental retardation is present, arrangements are also made for an
up-to-date report on the mental state of the child to be obtained if one is not already
available. Following these examinations and the collation of the findings by the Deputy
School Medical Officer, suitable children are then admitted to the Spastic unit for a trial
period. An initial period of trial is regarded as desirable in all cases in view of the
uncertainty as to whether any particular spastic child will respond favourably to medical
and educational treatment and also in order to offer the opportunity of a trial in the unit
to all spastics who appear to have any possible chances of benefiting from it. Suitable
pre-school children are encouraged to attend for treatment, even when they cannot be
admitted to the nursery class, in order that they may be helped to overcome their handicap
at the most impressionable leaving age. Arrangements are made for these children by the
Health Department and the information passed to the Chief Education Officer and the head
teacher at the school. Transport arrangements for the children attending the unit are made,
as necessary, by the Education department.
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