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Finally, I would emphasise the very great importance of a few points in connection
with the scope and aims of these E.N.T. clinics.
1. The prevention and relief of impaired hearing in children at earliest possible
stage. Thus it is of the utmost importance in the preservation of the normal hearing
to detect as soon as possible any impairment however slight and to investigate in detail
and diagnose correctly the cause and give immediate and appropriate treatment. Also
to remove any potential causes and continue treatment until the hearing is restored to
normal. Any neglect here will certainly allow the condition to progress to chronicity
and risk of permanent deafness later on.
2. The early detection, exact cause of and suitable treatment to relieve nasal
respiratory insufficiency. This condition is quite common among children of school
age and very of ten earlier, and prompt remediation is urgent because of widely dispersed
effects and possible later permanent disabilities far removed from the site of origin,
3. Exact diagnosis is imperative. Every care must be taken not to mistake
"effect" for "cause", which so frequently happens, or what is "secondary" for "primary".
In the matter of treatment it is, of course, essential to employ the appropriate
remedy if success is to be obtained, otherwise it is waste of time and energy.
It is equally true that the correct technique, with strict adherence to its
essential details, must be used in the application of treatment".
Mr. W, McKenzies Consultant to the Park Lane Clinic, reports;-
"The work is quite steady and I think it is likely to remain so for three or four
years at least, if not longer. The audiology service in the schools is a great help
and I hope that this will expand in future because many of these deaf children can be
helped by the removal of the adenoids,
Hie striking feature of my clinic in the last twelve months has been the absence
of chronic otorrhoea and this is not due to specialised treatment but to the improved
health of the children".
Child Guidance Centres
Dr. K.,A. Graf, Medical Director of the Hornsey Child Guidance Centre, reports
"This was my third year as the Medical Director of the Child Guidance Centre, and
workingasan unchanged teamwewere again fully occupiedwith the problems of diagnosing
and treating emotional maladjustment among the over 13000 children in the Authority's
and private schools in Hornsey. On paper our establishment may appear adequate,, but
there was so much additional work that we were stretched to the limit. New problems
were created by immigrant children and their parents, who in an increasing numbe'
required our support. Many of these children had only recently been reunited with
their parents in this country after years of separation during the most impressionable
years of their lifes, and they reacted to the strange new environment and completely
different cultural pattern by considerable aggressiveness in school, and caused their
parents frequent concern by their wayward behaviour. The children who had been used
to a considerable amount of corporal punishment in homes and schools overseas cannot
understand our less punitive methods of disciplining here, mistaking our more kindly
verbal approach and reluctance to use the cane, for tolerance or even condoning then
behaviour, with the result that they are very bewildered when ultimately more energetic
measures do appear necessary.