View report page

26
Clinics
SECTION 22
CARE OF MOTHERS AND YOUNG CHILDREN
(by A. Shaw, M..B., B.S., D.P.H.,
Deputy Medical Officer of Health)
There are four purpose-built infant welfare centres and 16
hired or adapted premises in the Borough at which clinics are
held. Details of the premises are in Appendix 8. 25 infant
welfare clinics per week are held and at each of these sessions
welfare foods are available for sale. Six toddlers' clinics per
month are held at four purpose-built centres.
The total number of sessions held during 1965 was 1,303
and the total number of children attending was 9,923, made up
in age groups as follows:-
Born 1965 - 3,353
1964 - 3,144
1960/63 - 3,426
Attendances
Even allowing for removals into the Borough over threequarters
of the babies born in 1965 were seen at infant welfare
clinics and this proportion dropped only slightly for those born
in 1964. Attendances of children over the age of two followed
the familiar pattern in falling steeply as young mothers began
to need less support from health visitors and others.
Relaxation clinics are held at five centres and ante-natal
clinics at six centres. 228 sessions were held.
Births
Congenital
Abnormalities
There were 3,826 live births and 61 stillbirths during 1965,
and of these 262 and three respectively were illegitimate,
giving an illegitimacy rate of 6.04%. There were 182 premature
live births and 35 premature stillbirths. 63 congenital abnormalities
were reported to the Registrar General as part of the
scheme introduced after the thalidomide incident to detect
early trends in the nature and incidence of congenital abnormalities,
so that appropriate action may be taken. Details of the
abnormalities reported are in Appendix 9.
Children at risk
It had become increasingly apparent over the past few years
that a procedure would have to be introduced to detect as early
as possible in a child's life any deviation from normality so
that appropriate corrective or ameliorative measures could be
applied. A scheme of registration of children 'at risk' of handicapping
conditions was introduced and placed under the control
of Dr. Joan M. Pooley, who reports as follows:-