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age of two and five for routine medical inspection. Time is also available for any mother who
wishes to come with her young child without appointment and for those where more frequent
examinations are considered advisable. Almost all the children are seen by the doctor and the
interviews are unhurried particularly where problems discussed relate to behaviour disorders. At
this age considerable patience and adaptability is required to gain a child's confidence. Often
every approach is resisted at first and then when the toddler's co-operation is finally won it is
almost as difficult to persuade him to leave.
Many children are found to become bored and difficult especially in their fourth year when
their brothers and sisters are all at school and there is insufficient playing space at home. Many
of them would benefit from admission to nursery schools or nursery classes but these are in such
short supply that there are long waiting lists for entry. Usually the foresighted parents who get
their children's names on to waiting lists early are not the ones in the most need and it happens
that a child before reaching compulsory school age urgently requires to spend some part of the
day in school and no place can be found for him.
The teeth are always examined and it is not infrequent to find that dental caries appears in
two or three year olds. Cases are referred for dental treatment and advice is given on teethcleaning
and the dangers of two much sweet eating together with the importance of conserving the
teeth in early life. Much time is spent on children's feet also. Where definite abnormality exists
referral is made for orthopaedic advice but more often there is discussion on suitable shoes and
shoe-fitting.