ABNORMAL CHILDREN.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVII, Issue 10, 10 December 1936, Page 29

ABNORMAL CHILDREN.

PROBLEM OF TREATMENT. Iti speaking of the rare and treatment of mentally defective and abnormal children, Dr. Lorn a Modgkinson, of Sydney, who arrived at Auckland this week, said she could not stress too much the need for proper treatment in such cases. Dr. Hodgkmson specialised at Harvard in the psychology of abnormal and mentally defective children and is en route to the United States to study the latest methods of treatment.

In the United States and in England mentally defective, neurotic ami abnormal children, in a large number of instances, were placed in special institutions and not in the State mental hospitals, where they mixed with those who were permanently insane. In the

United States the children were placed in homes with attractive surroundings and, with a certain amount of understanding and kindly guidance, persuaded to work. After reaching the age of 18 many were secured employment. Abnormal and neurotic children were not regarded as mentally defective, Dr. Hodgkinson said. With careful treatment they might become normal. In many cases their condition was largely a. matter of heredity and sometimes of environment. The sending of feeble-minded boys or. girls'to prison for offences was strongly deprecated by the doctor. Agricultural stations and industrial colleges should be provided where they could obtain proper treatment. Dr. Hodgkinson considered that many children were defective because of the post-war conditions which had been experienced by their parents.