Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-04-19
BY TAFT TRUSSELL

Georgetown University Medical
Center, an operation is in pro-
gress.
There is no odor of anesthe-
tics. No deity manipulated
scalpel is at work. But the
operation, in its way, is as deli
cate as heart valve surgery or
removal Of a brain tumor.
The staff Of this section of the
medical center evaluates retarda-
ton in children and helps guide
distressed parents in adjusting
to the misfortune.
Since the retarded children'sI
clinic at Georgetown began
operating last fall, about 1881
children have been sent to it BY
agencies and private physicians.
Some As Of them have been pro-
cessed. About 5000 area chill
dren are mentally. emotionally
or physically retarded, doctorSl
estimate.
The clinic is a center for dag
nosis and research. It's the only
community financed one in the
area. The Junior League of
Washington pays the biggest
share of clinic expenses. Those
who can't afford the fees are
admitted as well as those who
can pay.
$4,000 From Dance
The Junior League melted |
about $4,000 at its spring dinner
dance last Friday. This money
will help meet its pledge of |
$4,000 a year to help pay clinic
expenses during the next three
years.
Through joint study of the
young patients by pediatrician.
psychiatrist, psychologist, neu-
rologiSt and social worker, the
clinic rounds out a complete
diagnosis and makes recommen-
dations for putting to use the
limited capabilities of the chill.
dren. The clinic steers clear
Of treatment. considered the do
main Of the private doctor.
A fragile 3-year-old boy re-
Gently brought to the clinic is
typical.
He had no obvious physical
deformities." said DR.. Richard
M. Aud, clinic pediatrician, but
he seemed more like a 1-year-
old"
Reviewing the case, DR.. Aud
recalled that the boy had to be
examined as he sat on his
mothers lap He couldn't dol
simple tests. Any complicat tied
play activity frustrated him. Co.
ordination was slow. He could
speak two dozen words, but mo-
coherent phrases.
Anxious for Future
The family's doctor earlier had
found the child mentally def
cient. The parents brought the
bay to the clinic, they said. to
find out just how bad his condi-
ton was. They wanted to know
what they could expect in the
way Of future development. The
mother and grandparents chung
hopefully to the belief that the
boy was Just slow.
A series Of examinations and
tests showed one side of the boys
brain was deformed, but the
exact cause Of the deformity
couldn't be determined.
A search through the child's
early medical history turned UP
no record Of head injury. rlle
clinic physicians considered as
possible causes: Encephalitis, an
infiammatory disease. and con-
genital deficiency.
But the doctors didn't con-
centrate on pinning down the
specific cause. That's not the
major role Of the clinic, DR..
Aud explained. Its most i'm
portant job is to convince the
parents their child Is retarded,
but nevertheless a human being
with some limited abilities and
a need for love.
Can Learn Something
1t was explained to the
parents that the child probably
could never read or write, but
that his life would be happier in
his home rather than an institu-
ton. The parents also were told
there were many duties he could
perform such as feeding and
dressing himself.
For most retarded children,
there is no assignable cause Of
ADVERTISEMENT.
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