[Report 1958] / School Medical Officer of Health, Bedfordshire County Council.

  • Bedfordshire (England). County Council. n 50055519.
Date:
1958
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1958] / School Medical Officer of Health, Bedfordshire County Council. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    17/58 (page 13)
    Children with speech defects, residing in the County area of Bedford, received treatment at the following Clinics Bedford, St» Peter's ... Monday and Wednesday Biggleswade, The Lav/ns ... Thursday Dunstable, Kingsway ... Friday A weekly average of 40 children from this area has received regular treatment. Prospective patients and their parents are also seen by appointment. Of the cases selected, a large number have articulatory disorders of speech (dyslalia), varying in severity from multiple defects resulting in almost unintelligible speech to a single consonant drawing unnecessary attention to speech. These defects are only occasionally associated with abnormal anatomical structure so readily suggested by many parents. A partial loss of hearing has been queried in several cases for which audiometer tests have been requested. Some of these have re- vealed a slight loss of hearing, though in no case sufficient for an aid to be recommended. The advice of the Child Guidance Clinic has been valuable in several cases. Disorders associated vjith mental retardation are, of necessity, longer-term cases though results on a comparatiye basis have been en- couraging. The child with a stammer also attends for a longer period as any permanent improvement in fluency is such a gradual process. In all the cases the results of treatment depend largely on the co- operation of the parents concerned. Schools in the area still continue to be visited. Head teachers have been helpful and in many cases anxious for pupils to commence treatment. Unfortunately the waiting list is such that delay in treatment is inevitable. The list continues to increase. Through- out the year there has been, as usual, a noticeable fall in attend- ances during school holidays. It is to be regretted that parents in spite of requests do not always notify the Clinic in cases of absence. No. Treated Deferred and under observation Condition on Discharge Condition Discharged Cured Improved No Improvement Dyslalia (not assoc- iated with mental re- tardation) 48 7 20 15 5 — Dyslalia (assoc- iated with mental re- tardation) 10 1 3 1 1 1 Stammer 23 4 8 5 3 — Develop- mental aphasia (language disorder) 1 Partially deaf 2 1 — — — — Total attendances: 1,231