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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 6, 1981
LATEST EQUIPMENT INSTALLED FOR CHILD ASSESSMENT
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SOPHISTICATED AUDIO-VISUAL EQUIPMENT DESIGNED FOR THE ASSESSMENT AND TREATMENT OF CHILDREN OF ANY ABNORMALITY HAS BEEN INSTALLED AT THE ARRAN STREET CHILD ASSESSMENT CLINIC THROUGH A DONATION OF $54 570 FROM THE KOWLOON ROTARY CLUB.
THE PRESIDENT OF THE INTERNATIONAL ROTARY CLUB, MR STAN MCCAFFREY, ACCOMPANIED BY MEMBERS OF THE KOWLOON ROTARY CLUB, VISITED THE CLINIC YESTERDAY (MONDAY) AFTERNOON AND HAD A GLIMPSE OF THE EQUIPMENT.
THE VISITORS WERE IMPRESSED BY THE CLINIC'S SERVICES AND FACILITIES AND PLEDGED THAT THEY WOULD CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THE GOVERNMENT IN THE PROMOTION OF THE WELFARE FOR HANDICAPPED CHILDREN.
THE EQUIPMENT WILL BE USED TO RECORD THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE PROBLEM CHILD TO BE USED LATER FOR ASSESSMENT AND TREATMENT PURPOSES.
IT WILL ALSO SERVE AS TEACHING MATERIAL IN TRAINING CHILD ASSESSMENT WORKERS, FOR WHOM A GREAT DEMAND IS ENVISAGED WITH THE OPENING OF MORE SUCH CLINICS IN HONG KONG.
THE CLINIC, ESTABLISHED IN OCTOBER 1977, IS THE FIRST TO PROVIDE A COMPRÉHENSIVE ASSESSMENT SERVICE FOR CHILDREN FROM BIRTH TO 12 YEARS OF AGE WITH PHYSICAL, PSYCHOLOGICAL AND SOCIAL PROBLEMS.
THE CLINIC IS UNIQUE IN THAT SPECIALISTS FROM VARIOUS ASSESSMENT FIELDS, INCLUDING DEVELOPMENTAL PAEDIATRICIAN, CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST, MEDICAL SOCIAL WORKER, OPHTHALMOLOGIST, SPEECH THERAPIST, PHYSIOTHERAPIST, OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST, AUDIOLOGY TECHNICIAN AND HEALTH NURSES, ARE ALL HOUSED UNDER ONE ROOF TO GIVE A TEAM APPROACH IN TREATING THE PROBLEM CHILD.
THE DISABLED CHILD IS THOROUGHLY EXAMINED AND THEN ASSESSED ACCORDING TO THE NATURE AND DEGREE OF HIS HANDICAP AND INNER POTENTIAL.
RECOMMENDATIONS ON SUBSEQUENT MANAGEMENT AND EDUCATIONAL PLACEMENT OF THE CHILDREN ARE MADE AND SUPPORT AND COUNSELLING ARE GIVEN TO THE PARENTS OF THESE CHILDREN.
SINCE THE OPERATION OF THE CLINIC, THE TEAM HAS ASSESSED 2 000 CHILDREN. TO MEET THE EVER-INCREASING DEMAND FOR SERVICE, THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT WILL SET UP SIX MORE CENTRES IN HIGH STREET, ARGYLE STREET, LOWER KWAI CHUNG, TUEN MUN, SHA TIN AND KWUN TONG.
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