London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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Tottenham 1961

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Tottenham]

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The following table gives details of attendances at the individual clinics:-

Name of CentreNumber of sessions heldTotal attendancesNumber of cases seen by M.0Average attendance per session
Burgoyne Road2955253419.0
Church Road2438034815.8
Fortis Green2742042015.5
Hornsey Town Hall4663563513.8
Mildura Court5069664013.9
Stroud Green2332932914.3
The Chestnuts5071670914.3
Lordship Lane5270370213.5
Park Lane2429329112.2
Somerset Road4057753114.4
Totals 19613655301513914.5
Totals 19603735186506513.9
Totals 19593785043494613.3

Parental Guidance and the Young Child
It is being increasingly felt that emotional disturbances can occur very early
indeed in the life of the child. The form that such disturbance takes varies with the
age of the child. Too frequent crying, disturbed sleep, poor feeding, failure to gain
weight in infancy; disturbance in bowel habit and toilet training, nightmares and
restlessness in the toddler phase; excessive destruction and temper tantrums in the
pre-school years, are all indications that the child may be emotionally distressed.
It is becoming increasingly recognised that such disturbances are best helped in
the very early formative months and years as soon as signs and symptoms appear. For
this reason, the Regional Hospital Board, together with the Health Department of the
Local Authority, have made it possible to have one weekly half session of consultant
psychiitric time for advisory work with the problems of the under-fives. Its prime
purpose is to bring the psychiatric problems of this group to the notice of health
workers in this field, and so bring about increasingly early diagnosis and treatment.
It is hoped that with growing awareness of their problems and the approach to them,
workers in touch with these children can themselves help the distress which results
from a disturbed mother/child relationship. This appointment is one of the very few
in existence in the country.
Dr. Nina Meyer, therefore, has paid visits tc infant welfare, toddler clinics and
nursery schools in order to meet doctors, health visitors and teachers who are working
with this age group. Discussion and observation during the sessions of normal infant
welfare and toddler clinics have resulted in fifteen children being referred by
medical officers and general practitioners for investigation, recommendations and
treatment. The results have been encouraging. It has now been found desirable to
institute a regular under-five clinic, held on Friday mornings at the Lordship Lane
medical centre in conjunction with monthly visits by Dr. Meyer to outlying clinics.