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Children are usually referred to the physiotherapist by the local authority
medical officers. An increasing number of general practitioners refer cases for breathing
exercises, foot exercises and ultra-violet irradiation. Specialists at a number of London
hospitals also wish cases, chiefly asthma and bronchitis, to be treated at the local
clinics to save the parents and children the trouble and time of travelling long distances.
The consultant paediatrician and the ear, nose and throat specialist refer cases from time
to time. Children with the slighter degrees of flat foot, valgus ankles, knock knees and
poor posture are treated by remedial exercises, mainly in the form of exercise classes;
massage is also given when necessary. As has been mentioned in previous reports the classes
for minor foot conditions yield satisfactory results, and this lends support to the view
that these conditions, if dealt with in the early stages, can be more easily remedied and
probably spared the need for later treatment by an orthopaedic surgeon. Usually only the
more severe cases are referred to an orthopaedic surgeon and for the past five years there
has been a marked fall in the number of children so referred.
Many cases of asthma, bronchitis, catarrh, and recurrent upper respiratory infection
are given breathing exercises, modified according to the particular type of chest condition.
A number of these cases, as also cases of general debility from many and varied causes, are
also given general ultra-violet irradiation. Artificial sunlight, as this special form of
irradiation is called is given by a special type of mercury vapour lamp. The lamps used are
known as "Centrosol" which enable a number of children to be treated simultaneously in a
group. All the above facilities, provided on premises which are easily accessible and well
known to the parents and children, encourage acceptance of treatment at a stage when it may
be really preventive.
Much valuable work was carried out for many of the children at the Elizabeth Fry
Special School and these, together with the children in attendance at the Spastic Unit, and
those attending the Unit as out-patients, were treated in the well-equipped Unit. The
physiotherapeutic services carried out consist of massage, manipulation and special exercises,
and most of the children require individual treatment. In fact so much attention is given by
the physiotherapists that they become familiar with the characteristic needs and responses
of each individual child. It is time consuming work. Any of these children found to require
ultra-violet irradiation are treated at the nearby Grange Road Clinic.
Location of physiotherapy clinics and times of attendance
Forest Street Maternity and Child Welfare Clinic, Monday and Friday 1.30 to 5-15 p.m.
Forest Gate, E.7. Wednesday 9 a.m. to 12 noon.
Grange Road Maternity and Child Welfare Clinic, Monday and Friday 9 a.m. to 12 noon
Grange Road, Plaistow, E.13.
Maybury Road Maternity and Child Welfare Clinic, Wednesday and Thursday 1.30 to 5.15.p.m.
Maybury Road, Plaistow, E.13. (Closed 7th May,1956)
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