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The regular weighing and physical examination does much to reassure
the mother regarding the normal development and progress and
has probably contributed to the satisfactory condition of most young
children in the Area.
When the child reaches five years of age, the medical and
health visiting records become available for the school medical
officer when the child is medically examined as a school entrant.
The progress of infant welfare has steadily advanced in the
course of the years aid it is stimulating to observe the awareness of
the general public and paediatric departments of hospitals. Interchange
of clinic and hospital doctors and attendance of a health
visitor at certain sessions has been of mutual benefit to both
sections of the health service.
Toddlers Clinics.
Toddlers clinics were inaugurated in Tottenham in 1938 and are
now operating in 8 welfare centres in the Area.
Their object is to ensure the periodic physical examination of
children from two to five years of age who are not regular attenders
at clinics, day nurseries, nursery schools or nursery classes.
All the children are seen by appointment except in a minority
of cases where special advice is urgently required,
Routine medical examination of children in this group is appreciated
by parents who invariably write to ask for another appointment
if for any reason they are unable to keep the one assigned to them.
Attendance ensures early detection and correction, before the child
enters school, of defects or disorders which might otherwise become
more serious,
Statistics.
The following tables of notification of births, maternal deaths,
and care of mothers and young children include figures relating to
Preceding years for comparative purposes.