THURSDAY, JULY 24, 1986
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SIR DAVID VISITS CHILD ASSESSMENT CENTRE
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THE ACTING GOVERNOR, SIR DAVID AKERS-JONES, THIS (THURSDAY) AFTERNOON VISITED THE ARRAN STREET CHILD ASSESSMENT CENTRE IN KOWLOON TO SEE FOR HIMSELF THE SPECIAL SERVICES PROVIDED THERE.
HE WAS MET ON ARRIVAL BY THE ACTING DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES, DR RUDY KHOO, THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR (HEALTH SERVICES AND PLANNING), DR S.H. LEE, THE REGIONAL DIRECTOR (KOWLOON), DR LAWRENCE LA1, AND THE CONSULTANT PAEDIATRICIAN IN CHARGE, DR LILLIAN KO.
THE SERVICES AND FACILITIES OF THE ASSESSMENT CENTRE WERE BRIEFLY INTRODUCED TO SIR DAVID AT A SLIDE PRESENTATION.
THE TWO-STOREY BUILDING COMPRISES TWO CLINICS ASSESSMENT CLINIC AND THE HEARING AID CLINIC.
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THE CHILD
THE CHILD ASSESSMENT CENTRE, WHICH WAS SET UP IN 1977, HELPS TO PROMOTE THE DEVELOPMENT OF DISABLED CHILDREN BY DETECTING AND STUDYING THEIR PROBLEMS AT THE EARLIEST POSSIBLE AGE AND DETERMINING THE BEST WAYS TO HELP THEM.
THE HEARING AID CLINIC, WHILE BEING A PART OF THE MULTI- DISCIPLINARY STRUCTURE FOR CHILD ASSESSMENT, ALSO PROVIDES HEARING ASSESSMENT AND AID TO ADULTS WITH PARTIAL HEARING IMPAIRMENT.
SIR DAVID WAS TOLD THAT CHILDREN ATTENDING THE ASSESSMENT CLINIC ARE REFERRED EITHER BY DOCTORS OR PSYCHOLOGISTS. THE NUMBER OF REFERRALS TO THE CLINIC WAS 1 142 IN 1985 COMPARED WITH 197 CASES IN 1978 WHEN THE CLINIC BEGAN OPERATION.
INITIALLY, CASES ARE SCREENED BY AN ASSESSMENT TEAM COMPRISING A DOCTOR, A CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST AND A MEDICAL SOCIAL WORKER, HOWEVER, CASES REQUIRING SPECIAL ASSESSMENT OR TREATMENT, NAMELY SPEECH THERAPY, OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY, PHYSIOTHERAPY, VISUAL AND HEARING ASSISTANCE, WILL BE REFERRED TO STAFF OF THE RESPECTIVE DISCIPLINES STATIONED IN THE CENTRE.
AFTER ASSESSMENT AND TREATMENT, THE MAJORITY OF CHILDREN WILL BE RECOMMENDED TO AN APPROPRIATE SPECIAL SCHOOL ACCORDING TO ABILITY.
AS WELL AS VISITING THE AUDIOMETRY ROOM FOR ASSESSING CHILDREN WITH HEARING PROBLEMS AND THE OBSERVATION ROOM, THE ACTING GOVERNOR ALSO TOURED THE TOY LIBRARY WHICH FORMS AN ESSENTIAL PART OF THE ASSESSMENT SERVICE.
THE LIBRARY WAS SET UP IN 1982 WITH THE AIM OF ENHANCING THE MAXIMUM DEVELOPMENT OF CHILDREN WITH SPECIFIC PROBLEMS THROUGH THE PROVISION OF THERAPEUTIC, EDUCATIONAL AND STIMULATING TOYS.
/CHILDREN