HEALTH OF CHILDREN

Evening Star, Issue 22350, 28 May 1936, Page 10

HEALTH OF CHILDREN

SCHOOL MEDICAL OFFICER’S REPORT REMEDIAL WORK OUTLINED Extracts from the school medical’ report embodied in the Otagoi Education Board’s report for 1935( cover the main details of treatments given to children for various diseases.These read:— Tubercular Contacts.—Four hundred! and five children have been under ob-i serration, 135 in the country and 270 in the town. Of these 211 are boys; and 194 are girls. Two hundred and! fifty of these children have had a com* pleto medical examination during the year. Open Air School, Kew.—Twenty-four children attended the school—ll boys: and 13 girls. Nine children, five boys and four girls, were placed back in' the main schools, their health having improved so satisfactorily. The highest gain in weight was 81b Boz, the" lowest 21b 14oz. The average gain was 51b Boz. The work of the school seems to be fulfilling its aim of improve ing the health and well-being *of ailing; school children. Remedial Work for Postural Deformities of the School Children.—This is, chiefly for the city schools. For postural deformities 22 children were notified for treatment; of these nine received the same. For mouth breathing deformities, seven cases were notified; for corrective exercises; of these four, received treatment. For flat feet deformities 160 were notified for treatment which consists of exercises and wedges for shoes; of these 81 received treatment. Training College Entrants.—To data 98 entrants were examined; of these 30 were men and 68 women.; From a; general suitability point of view 10 were classified as excellent, 68 average,one very good, 18. fair. One candidate was rejected. Eight were recommended" for re-examination. Twenty-three had defective eyesight, corrected or uncorrected; one defective speech; 10 had inflammatory conditions of the throat or defective tonsils; 13 had carious teeth. Malnutrition Among , School Children.—So much has been said concerning the malnutrition among young children and the methods to combat it in previous reports that one hesitates to make fresh statements. All I cart add is that my figures over the period year 1934 and year 1935, now show a definite increase in the conditions of sub-normal nutrition and malnutrition.Work Among Unemployed.—During the winter a system, in collaboration with the Employment Bureau, was instituted for combating any conditions of malnutrition, under-feeding, and debility which might arise from children! being insufficiently fed. Parents who applied to the bureau were directed to us with their children, or children' whom I examined in the schools, andi were found suffering from debility on malnutrition or in want of a more liberal diet, were given extra rations in the form of milk, butter, eggs,; cheese and vegetables, and treatment in the form of cod liver oil and malt and tonics was administered where needful. In this way we helped 113 families, over 250 children being relieved. I found 10.3 per cent, of the children in a state of malnutrition; the rest were considered debilitated in some way. Waikouaiti Health Camp. camp was held from January 4 to 31. 1936. This year the camp aimed at accommodating 125 children. The ages ranged from 6-13 years (girls) and 6-12 vears (boys). One could not say any child lost weight; certainly improvement in weight and health of the children was apparent. The average gain, for the girls was 3.21 b, and for the boys 3.5ib. Girls underweight at the beginning numbered 36 and at end 19. .Boyd underweight at beginning 42 and at end 18. Total underweight at beginning, 63.5 per cent., and at end 30.1 per cent. Infectious Diseases.—This year has been a comparatively mild one with regard to the incidence of infectious diseases. Cases of scarlet fever, whooping cough, and cliicken-nox have been the worst offenders. Whooping_ cough' and chicken-pox have occurred in mild epidemic form. Influenza and sever# colds have also been prevalent.