HEALTH NOTES

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 66, 14 September 1929, Page 18

HEALTH NOTES

VOCATIONAL GUIDANCE

PHYSICALLY HANDICAPPED

CHILDREN

(Con-lributed by tho Department of

Health.)

A Ff.?^g tho factors affecting human efficiency and happiness some method of ensuring so far-as is practicable that ever)?* individual ■ s.hall be placed in an occupation ,;f or which- vhe is physically 'fitted.; is one: of .■the most important* Apart from "other considerations there can.bo nothing more discouraging than the^ realisation that tho time spent in training a : child .could have been more wisely and profitably used in another sphere. This is particularly so in-rogard to a child suffering from some physical such : as defective hearing, poor physique, and so on. The recognition of these facts has led : in recent,.years .to investigations having for "ih'eir.f object', the '■ cataloguing of various occupations; 'according to tho aptitude and capacities required in theni. . ;. ■ "

■Whilst-the-.majority of bur children in-,New Zealand are/physically fit to earn their-.livjng. in,.any way of .life that inclination,.' or luck-may-open to them, there aro a few child-, ren suffering from the results" of some illness, accident, or-constitutional weakness which unfits them foT certain occupations. .Such, children can'never bo successful oTiiapjy^ Ajfiless given an occupation within their "powers of accomplishment; r;aiid it; is worth .every effort to get them suited.,: Parents and guardians seldom know what occupations a child with a given defect should avoid, ■nor what he,should seek, and some x'ery tragic failures occur in, consequence.

Of course if a child is exceptionally •gifted, in 'any direction, the problem of choosing its occupation is much simplified, and exceptional talent, especially .when-.,conibined,..with character and pers'cyersuiCß,'' will', triumph over" almost any physical-:haiidicap.',^.::

However, for the mult and file of our children without exceptional"gifts to compensate physical defects, these few suggestions are supplied. Tho^ occupations mentioned here aie not by any means exhaustive, but may serve as a guide, iso attempt has been made to distinguish between tho social values or the cost of training in the various occupations, for physical defects occur in. all walks of lite, and in all require thought.

■ ■' Defective' 'sight anti''defective hearing \ are two,; qf : ';'the, 'cbmmbnest defects | which;-need;-consideration, arid often occur in individuals who are robust physically and mentally. DEFECTIVE SIGHT. j For those suffering from defective sight, especially short sight, the following occupations are suitable: —Various grades of .'shop work, baking, domestic work, poultry farming, piano tuning (musician if musically endowed), perhaps teaching, the Church', or Law or agriculture, journalism (according to tho degree of short-sight). i?br those who aro practically blind the choice.is-small: But there are bas-ket-making, typing, massage, and pianotuning; or, again, those who arc tal-, ented can become musicians. The shortsighted person should particularly avoid engiueeringj building work on railways'/ work ■ amongst machinery, wool-classing, and sewing. ; ~ DEFECTIVE HEAKING. -Defective hearing in certain occupations is a much greater handicap than is usually realised. It is practically incurable and tends frequently to get worse later in life. Even slight degrees therefore should prevent a parent putting a child into the. first job that offiors. The child who is deaf must particularly avoid work on railways, vehicle driving, auctioneering, medicine, shop serving, and. stenography where taking down dictation is involved. :

Occupations in which he (or she) may be successful, according to the degree of deafness, are carpentry, cabinetinaking, tailoring, shoemaking, mail sorting, poultry farming, general'agricultural work, plumbing, wool classing, fishing, blaeksmithirig. For girls there is domestic work, cooking, millinery, dressmaking/- wool' classing, poultry farming, bee farming. GENERAL POOR PHYSIQUE. / . Then there is the weakly, delicate chilcl, undersized and unlikely to develop'later into average strength. These are the children' in particular whose gifts ?and perseverance will often lead them to: succeed where others will fail. The/general rule which should guide a parent in selecting their occupation is t& choose one where skill, craftsmanship, and intelligence are more import-ant-than brute strength. Thus he may do most of those occupations generally alluded to as "business." Shop salesman (excluding very heavy goods), watchmaking (if possessed of mechanical tendencies), leadlight working, wire, working, photography, re-touch-ing, clerical wprk, tailoring, shoemaking, saddlery, signwriting, dressmaking, millinery, poultry farming, Law, the Church are all occupations he can manage. He must particularly avoid those occupations where muscular strength is important, such as general labourj agricultural work, sailor, wharf labourer. DEFECTIVE HEART. \The placing; of tho child with heart trouble is always; a- .'source 'of anxiety to the parent ...Those so afflicted should n'pt-undertake 'any very heavy, tiring work. In particular, they:'should avoid work which .entails sudden strain, such as lifting heavyweights, hurrying, and so on. If possible, they are better to do something where they -are their own "boss," so that on their bad days they can slack off or miss a day's work. They must, therefore, avoid general labour, general, agricultural work, sailor, wharf 'laliqurer. Girls stiould not do heavy domestic work, such.As washing; 'scrubbing,: lifting heavy pots. .;■. Sedentary ■'■■:■ occupations arc usually best for them," such as law, clerical work, journalism, shoemaking, tailoring, or 'they. ■ can.; do photography, retouching, watchmaking (if they; have a mechanical bent). Girls can do sewing, millinery, typing, etc. ■ . . loss or crippling- of a ' , : ., ~ ~ .:;■'" limb. ; ' ■This obviously incapacitates the victim from a wide, range of occupations. Of these the" loss of one leg is probably the least.: misfortune. Choice- must be made from some of tho occupations mentioned under the heading of "Defective -Heart , and "General Poor Physique." Where both logs are involved::,choice is ■practically limited to sedentary occupations. . For those who have lost :one- arm there are . some branches.,of .clerical-, work (accountancy, etc.), commercial''traveller,' auctioneer, wool classing, and perhaps bee farming. ; ■ ''-"\ :/>'::'; .' ■ TUBERCULOSIS. Children with a tendency .to tuberculosis may. livo.-long and healthy lives if they ; ,are -given a suitable occupation. Gardening in all Its branches, let-ter-carrying," "signwriting, keeping a shop, open to tho air, such as a railway bookshop, taxi-driving, and last, but not least, delivering supplies in the country. Anyone with a tendency to tuberculosis sliould avoid heavy labour, occupations produciiig dust, especially minj iag and quarrying, .and occupations in

close atmospheres, and the care of animals, EPILEPSY. Epilepsy is a terrible affliction which sadly restricts the sufferers' choice of work. Gardening and agriculture (not stock work) and sewing seem to bo the best occupations. Occupations to be especially avoided aro railway work, anything taking the sufferer amongst traffic, such as driving, anything taking him up ladders, etc., such as building, blaeksmithing, medicine, teaching, the charge of children. Even cooking is undesirable because of tho danger of falling into tho fire. Although the, main object in writing this article has been to help parents' in the placing of their children, the' same considerations apply to those ac-; quiring similar disabilities later in life, rendering it = impossible for them to continue in their previous occupation. ' . . . ■•-■.•■' Remember: In the selection of a career for children suffering from disabilities, parents should consult the school teacher, school' medical officer, and their own medical attendant.