HC Deb 31 October 1955 vol 545 c645
9. Mr. E. Johnson

asked the Minister of Health what increased provision he has made during 1955 for providing treatment for spastic children.

Mr. Iain Macleod

These children suffer from a wide variety of disabilities, and they therefore benefit directly from all the many developments and improvements in the hospital services during the year. In addition, some special provision has been made, such as the Chelsea unit for young children opened in April.

Mr. Johnson

While welcoming that reply, may I ask my right hon. Friend whether he will agree that early diagnosis as well as early treatment may make a very great difference to the future of the spastic child? Will he look into it to see if there is any possibility of publicising the desirability of parents' seeking early medical advice in the case of any child who is in the least abnormal?

Mr. Macleod

Yes, I shall be very glad to look at that. The difficulty of this, of course, is that spastic children may need orthopaedic, psychiatric, neurological and many other specialties. Therefore, it is rare to find provision specially made for spastic children, as is implied in my hon. Friend's question.