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Moreover, in the absence of a routine examination unprompted by
complaints, many defects at a stage when correction is comparatively
easy, go unrecognised until they produce symptoms. The
establishing of toddler clinics helps to fill this gap in the service,
and its justification is shown by the table of defects found which
is appended later.
Consequently the scheme now provides two types of clinics for
children—the long established infant welfare clinic which is
primarily a consultative session to which mothers may bring their
children without appointment, and the special toddler clinics for
the purpose mentioned above, attendance at which is by invitation
and appointment.
The attendances at the infant clinics show a further increase
over those of the year before, although the number of children who
attended was on much the same scale. New babies coming for the
fiist time represented 73 per cent, of the notified births.
There was a further satisfactory increase in the work of the
maternity clinics. Seventy-four more antenatal mothers attended
and the total, expressed as a percentage of the notified births, rose
from 50 to 56. The attendances made by these women increased
from 1302 to 1797.
The number of women who attended for postnatal examination,
although three times as many as previously, still represents only a
small percentage of the total confinements, but it is encouraging
that there is a growing realisation of the need for this type of
supervision.
Tenders have now been received for the erection of the new
clinic in Middleton Road, a brief description of which was given
in last year's report.
The attendances at the centres are shown in the following
Tables :—
37