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The miscellaneous conditions include such cases as severe congenital scoliosis,
Hand-Schuller-Christian disease, achondroplasia, post-vaccinal encephalitis, ectopia
vesicae, arthrogryphosis, cerebellar tumour, congenital absence of bones, amputations
and other defects. The Ministry of Education favour the retention of handicapped pupils
in ordinary schools whenever possible, and this is followed in practice.
SPASTIC UNIT
This Unit opened in June, 1954, is a specially designed single storey building
in the grounds of Elizabeth Fry Special School of which it is a part. In addition to the
children in the nursery class of the Unit a large number of pupils from the parent school
attend for treatment in the large appropriately equipped physiotherapy room, and also in
the speech therapy section. At the end of the year 12 children under the age of seven
years were in the Unit. Of these 12 cases 10 were extra-district. In addition 9 cases
attended the Unit on an out-patient basis. Of these 9, three were extra-district. Of the
12 children in the Unit all were receiving physiotherapy and 6 speech therapy.
PUPILS SUFFERING FROM SPEECH DEFECTS
These are pupils who, on account of defect or lack of speech, not due to deafness,
require special educational treatment. Children suffering from disturbances of speech
need only be formally ascertained as handicapped pupils if the disability is so great
that they need special educational treatment, i.e., some modification of the educational
regime as distinct from medical treatment. No children were ascertained under this
category during the year. Children who stammer or who have other defects of speech are
given special treatment at the speech clinics, to which they go while attending ordinary
schools. The day special schools for physically handicapped and educationally sub-normal
pupils are also visited by the speech therapists so that any children needing the
specialised treatment may have it.
DELICATE PUPILS
These are children not falling under any other category of the School Health Service
and Handicapped Pupils Regulations, 1953, who by reason of impaired physical condition, need
a change of environment or cannot, without risk to their health or educational development,
be educated under the normal regime of ordinary schools. To this category belong children
suffering from asthma, bronchitis, debility, poor physical condition, anaemia and chronic
catarrh. In view of the improved condition of the children the number of pupils ascertained
as "delicate" has been gradually declining. This year the number was 15 of whom 11 were
admitted to residential open air schools maintained by outside authorities. West Ham does
not, at present, maintain an open air school.
CHILDREN WITH MULTIPLE DEFECTS
Children handicapped by more than one defect Of ten present a serious problem in
arranging suitable education, as there are so few schools which specialise In the education
of children with dual disabilities. There is need for further provision, which can only be
made on a national basis, since no authority is likely to have a great number of ahildren
with any particular combination of disabilities. In the year 1957. three cases were known
to the authority. The particulars are as followss-
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