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120
Altogether this has been a year in which some really constructive
work has been accomplished.
Speech Therapy
Miss Came, Senior Speech Therapist: reports as follows:-
"Since speech therapy"s introduction early in this century
the general public's conception of its aims as the mechanical
correction of "speech impediments" has radically altered The
intimate relationship of speech to the whole personality structure
of the individual is more generally realised.
The speech therapist in the school health service deals with
the whole child including the family of which it forms an
integral part and not just the speech defect. The wider
environment of school may also need adjustment Speech improve
ment is seldom the only outcome of successful treatment In
creased stability, confidence social adjustment or even better
educational progress are equally important.
Speech cannot be divorced from language The pre school
years., when these skills may break down or show abnormal slowness
of development offer great opportunities for preventive work.
The difficulties in discovering every stammerer in time to
offer maximum help are great largely owing to our big school
populations We are still concerned at the occasional referral
of the older child who is known to have stammered from an early
age If the teachers of the first classes in the junior and
infant schools i e age groups five plus and seven plus could
be encouraged to bring any cases not previously diagnosed to the
medical officer8s attention, this delay in treatment with all
its adverse consequences could be avoided.
Hospital School
I am indebted to Mr J Power, M A Borough Education
Officer, Tottenham for the following report:-
"Tottenham Education Committee now employs two full time
teachers to provide tuition for children at St Ann s and the
Prince of Wales's Hospitals Priority is given to long stay
patients but every effort is also made to cater for children who
are in hospital for shorter periods An average of from 35 to
40 children, aged from five to sixteen years, receive tuition
each week.