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All children in secondary schools are now tested in their eleventh
year, the details for 1968 being as follows:—
Number of secondary schools visited 22
Number of children tested 2,010
Number of secondary failures 66
A total of 4,556 children (primary and secondary) were tested,
of these 228 failed the audiometric test.
SPEECH THERAPY
There was a shortage of staff for part of the year, but by the end
of 1968 the Authority had been able to recruit the full complement
of three speech therapists, and a speech therapist is allocated in each
case to the Mitcham area, the Merton and Morden area, and the
Wimbledon area.
The staff shortage for part of the year accounts for a reduction in
the number of sessions compared with the previous year.
Number of sessions held: (a) for treatment 762
(b) for consultation 47
Number of cases on register at beginning of year 314
Number of cases added during year 201
Number of cases discharged during year 145
Number of cases on register at end of year 370
Cases discharged during the year who:—
Achieved normal speech 60
Were greatly improved 32
Showed some improvement 25
Showed little or no improvement 12
Other reasons 16
Analysis of cases treated during the year:—
Stammering 53
Dyslalia 292
Cleft palate 13
Dysarthria 2
Guttering 2
Aphasia 2
Defects of the voice 12
Defective speech due to deafness 11
Retarded speech and language 143
THE WORK OF THE SCHOOL NURSES
The Health Visitors/School Nurses have continued to visit the
primary schools for routine medical inspections, and all schools for
hygiene, unless it has been suggested by the school that hygiene visits
are unnecessary.
In many schools, Health Visitors look in regularly to discuss
children with the Head Teacher and other teachers.
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