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Nervous Diseases .—Chorea, habit spasm, somnambulism and
night-terrors formed the bulk of the nervous affections which came under
observation. Several cases of hysteria were also dealt with. Treatment
for children suffering from chorea with well-marked symptoms was
obtained by referring them to hospital. The most effective form of
remedy for somnambulism and night-terrors was that of admission to
Suntrap Open-Air School, and the reports from this institution evidenced
that these manifestations entirely disappeared under the influence of the
long hours of undisturbed sleep and regular mode of life obtaining at
the school.
"Occupational therapy" in the form of attendance at Play-Centres
and participation in the Scout and Girl Guide movements was resorted
to with satisfactory results in several cases of hysteria and habit-spasm.
Speech Defects.—Classes for speech defects were resumed at the
School for the Deaf in January, 1938, and were attended mainly by
stammerers, who visited the school for two speech training lessons per
week. Many young children with defective articulation were referred to
the medical officers for examination, but in a large proportion it was
found that the defect was that of "lazy" speech, a condition which can
be overcome by correction and tuition from parents and class-teachers.
Heart Disease and Rheumatism.—Mild cases of rheumatism have
been dealt with at the school clinics, but the more severe cases have
been referred to hospitals, mainly to the Rheumatic Clinic of the Hospital
for Sick Children, Great Ormond Street. A number of children have
been admitted to this hospital and subsequently to Lancing Heart Home.
Admission to other hospitals has been rare and the provision of adequate
in-patient treatment of children who suffer from this crippling disease
is an urgent necessity.
The removal of septic tonsils has been followed by a definite improvement
in a number of cases of rheumatism.
Two-thirds of the pupils attending Yale Road School for Physically
Defective Children suffer from organic heart disease, and a large percentage
of these cases are rheumatic in origin.
Tuberculosis.—Scholars suspected to be suffering from pulmonary
tuberculosis were referred to the Tuberculosis Officer for examination