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vitamin intake in infancy, undertaken in West Ham by the health visitors. This showed that
some babies are having large amounts of vitamin D which are unnecessary and might, in
susceptible babies, be harmful. It is similar considerations which have prompted the
Minister's action. His advice about bringing this matter to the attention of the staff and
his suggestion that mothers will require individual advice about their children's vitamin
D intake had indeed been implemented in West Ham before the receipt of this circular.
With the decrease of the vitamin D content of the Welfare Cod Liver Oil, expectant
mothers taking this preparation should now take l½ instead of 1 teaspoonful. There is no
change in the vitamin A and D tablets which have been provided for expectant and nursing
mothers.
The restriction of the Welfare Orange Juice to children under 2 is based on the
evidence that children between 2 and 5 are able to get sufficient vitamin C from their daily
diet.
Convalescence
Unaccompanied pre-school children sent
for convalescence during 1957 9
Mothers with Children 17
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Fewer mothers and children than last year were referred for convalescence and there
is a further decrease in the number of unaccompanied children sent away. It is only very
occasionally that the health and circumstances of a child under 5 are such that it is
really considered advisable to send him for a recuperative holiday away from his mother.
The mothers and children who have been away are followed up by the health visitor,
and the reports show that they have usually derived much benefit from their stay. Once
again, we are much indebted to the officers of Buckinghamshire County Council who administer
the home, to the staff of Winterton House who give such good and considerate care to West
Ham families, and to the Invalid Children's Aid Association who,have undertaken
the administrative arrangements with their usual efficiency and kindness.
Liaison with Children's Officer
Frequent consultations and informal discussions are held between the staff of the
Health and Children's Departments at senior officer and field worker level. Formal
conferences on children neglected in their own homes are convened from time to time by the
Children's Officer. They have been under the Chairmanship of the Medical Officer of Health,
and have been well attended by the officers of a number of Council Departments, and of
voluntary organisations.
Whenever possible, the field workers who know the family have been invited. By
means of these conferences a good deal of overlapping in the support given to problem
families has been avoided, and though dramatic results are never achieved, there is a
growing feeling that this kind of team work does enable a number of families to keep together
and to improve, if only slightly, the environment in which the children grow up.
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