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School Leavers. (a) Reports to General Practitioners. We are continuing to forward
reports to the general practitioner of each pupil in whom any relevant defects are found at
the school leavers examination. This helps to ensure continuity of care and treatment. A
large proportion of defects reported relate to vision.
(b) Colour Vision. During the year 3,658 children were tested on the Ishihara
chart. Of 1,936 boys examined 95 were found to have impaired colour vision while out of
1,752 examined there were only 6 whose colour vision was not normal. The pupils in whom
this defect is found are informed so that they may make appropriate adjustments in the
choice of their careers.
OTHER EXAMINATIONS
Special examinations are carried out if for any reason a parent, teacher, school
nurse or health visitor wishes to have the medical officer's opinion.
The number of "special examinations" has increased this year by 1,032. The
conditions for which advice was sought ranged over most fields of medicine relating to
Child Health.
On looking into the cases, it is interesting to observe that they relate mainly to
the field of medicine into which our interest and services are gradually extending. They
are concerned with vision, hearing, psychological development and stability, speech and
disorders of the central nervous system.
Children found to have impaired vision have increased by 213.
One-hundred-and-twenty-one children (an increase of 64 over the previous year) were
Investigated on account of their psychological and mental development. This may well be
related to the extended work of the Educational Psychologist (now full time) who tests the
children referred to him by teachers and in turn may refer them to the school medical officer.
Three-hundred and forty-five of the children examined (an increase of 191 on the previous
year) required assessment of their psychological stability.
There was an increase of 71 children examined for speech defect. Twenty-one more
children than in the previous year were examined on account of epilepsy. The number of
children seeking advice for skin conditions, e.g. warts, has also increased.
Re-Examinations denote, as in the past, children referred from previous medical
examinations, and are conducted either at school or at the school clinic.
Figures relating to this work will be found in the Appendices at the end of this Report.
FACILITIES FOR MEDICAL INSPECTION IN SCHOOLS
During the year the medical officers made a survey of the facilities available in
school for medical inspections and the nurses examination of school children. The results
have not yet been fully considered.
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