Speech Therapy

Hutt News, Volume 18, Issue 3, 21 June 1944, Page 5

Speech Therapy

TALK BY DH. CECILY PICKEREL I j. Another most successful meeting of the liutt. Speech 'lneiapy Association wa s heid last Friday 'evening, when a large number of parents and friends assembled at the clin;e to hear a talk by Dr. Cecuy Pickerill. In his oppening address to the meeting, the president, Mr. J. Brooke, outlined the aims and objects of the association. He pointed out that one of the most serious disadvantages from which a child could suffer was the feeling of being "different," and that one of the worst ways of being different was being "different in his speech." Such a feeling in a child might, and often did have, far-reaching and disastrous effects on his personality., The aim of Speech Therapy, said Mr. Brooke, was to save the child afflicted with a speech defect from the crippling sense of inferiority which almost invariably accom-

panied it. The Hutt Speech Therapy Association was a body of people who were convinced of the great value of "this work and who intended to further it by all the means at their disposal. Mr. Brooke raised the question of the possibility of an outcrop of speech defects among returned soldiers as the direct result of active service conditions and asked those present to consider ways in which the association might render assist anee to these men. On the motion of Miss E. Widdowson, it was decided to appoint a sub-committee consisting of Dr. Douglas and Dr. Buchler to obtain more detailed information with a view to making a report on the matter at the next meeting. ic decided to forward to the Education Department a remit urging the admission of children under five years of age to the speech clinics in cases where a medical certificate stated that immediate treatment was necessary. This motion was supported by Mr. H. E. Combs, M.P., who said that he had

not previously realized the urgency of early training in these cases, but that he would give the matter his whole-hearted support and would be pleased to bring it to the notice of the Minister of Education. The treasurer, Mr. A. S. Kempthcrne, spoke of tiie financial requirements of the association, and .said that although the aniiual subscription of 1/- admitted the donor to lull member's privileges, it was obviously insufficient even to cover the running expenses of the association. It was hoped, therefore, that those who appreciated the value of this work would assist it by donations. The speaker for the evening, Dr. Cecny Pickeiill, gave an exceptionally interesting talk 011 the work which she and Dr. Howard Pickerill are doing with cleft palate cases. She outlined the possible, causes of this defect, as far as they are known, and expained what is meant by the term "cleft palate" and "hare-lip," illustrating her remarks by diagrams and photographs on lantern slides. She also described briefly the surgical treatment of these cases and emphasised the point that almost every one of them, no matter how perfect the surgical repair of the palate, needed speech training. The aim of the surgeon was to have the baby's palate operation completed by the time lie was six months old, and then as soon as he began to > talk to

hand him on to the speech therapist to complete the work. Dr I'ickerill described the hostel system of treating these little patients—an arrangement \yhereby the mothers stayed in a hostel designed for the purpose and had entire charge of the feeding and care of the baby while it was undergoing treatment. Such a hostel has been established in Lower I-lutt and it lias been found that the results of this method are infinitely more satisfactory than when the baby had to be left as an in-patient in hospital. The speaker showed' further lantern slides illustrating' the wonderful results which were being achieved to-day by skilled cleft palate surgery. She also dispelled the idea that children born with cleft palates are in any way mentally affected. In all the years of experience which she and her husband had had of this work, she said, could remember only two cases in which the children were not of normal or above normal intelligence. Many cleft palate patients had a high degree of intelligence and had remarkably successful careers. Dr. Pickerill concluded her address by playing gramophone recordings of the speech of some of her ex-patients. The high standard of these proved the excellent results that can be achieved by successful operative treatment followed by speech training. Dr. Pickerill was accorded a most enthusiastic vote of thanks for her lecture. M'tich appreciated elocutionary items were given by Mrs. Gibbons. Apologies were received from the Mayor (Mr. J. W. Andrews), Mr. and Mrs. W. V. Dyer, Mr. O. V. Berry, Mr. and Mrs. Symonds (Silverstream), and Mrs. T. 13. Strong. ' Supper, arranged and served by a committee of ladies, concluded a most enjoyable and instructive evening.