Services
General Paediatrics
General paediatricians play a vital role in the healthcare of children and adolescents. Their role encompasses a wide range of responsibilities aimed at promoting the health, development, and well-being of individuals from birth to 18 years of age. Here are the services that our general paediatricians offer:
The Maternal and Child Health Nurse from your local council will contact you to inform of their first home visit within the first 2 weeks of discharge from hospital. Ongoing review with them is highly recommended for growth and development monitoring.
They will also help organise New Parent Groups and Playgroups, linking you with other parents of similar aged children for socialising and support.
Emphasize preventive healthcare by educating parents and caregivers about newborn care, nutrition, safety, hygiene, and other factors that contribute to a child’s overall well-being.
Diagnose and treat various medical conditions and illnesses that affect children. These conditions encompass common issues such as asthma, eczema, constipation, infections, and growth concerns.
Additionally, our paediatricians can also address more complex challenges including chronic diseases, as well as developmental and behavioural concerns like ADHD, ASD, and learning difficulties.
Monitor developmental milestones, assess physical and cognitive growth, and identify any developmental delays or concerns that may need intervention.
Address behavioural issues, emotional challenges, and mental health concerns that children may experience, providing guidance and referrals when necessary.
Work closely with other medical specialists and healthcare professionals to coordinate care for children with complex medical needs. They may refer patients to specialists when specific expertise is required.
Provide medical care tailored to the unique needs of adolescents, including discussions about puberty, sexual health, mental health, and substance abuse.
Promote healthy lifestyles, encouraging physical activity, proper nutrition, and other habits that contribute to long-term well-being.
In essence, our general paediatricians provide comprehensive medical resource for children and their families, focusing on holistic care that encompasses physical health, developmental milestones, emotional well-being, and preventive measures.
Please note that developmental or behavioural assessments, including ASD, ADHD, and learning difficulties, require a minimum of 2-3 appointments. In cases where your child does not initially meet the criteria or if additional information is needed, a referral may be made for further multidisciplinary assessments conducted by allied health professionals.
Newborn Babies
Your attending obstetrician will refer your baby to a paediatrician who will be responsible for your baby’s medical care during your hospital stay.
The lactation consultant and midwives will help support your breastfeeding journey. It is important to feed or express regularly to help build and maintain milk supply.
- Attend your caesarean section or vaginal birth to help support your baby transition to life outside the womb.
- Complete the newborn physical examination on discharge.
- Managing newborn health issues such as jaundice, low blood sugar, suspected infection, excessive weight loss and any other medical issues your baby may have.
- Managing prematurity related complications in Special Care Nursery.
- Organising appropriate investigations and follow up any medical concerns detected during your pregnancy.
- Addressing any concerns that you may have.
What to expect during your stay in hospital
The lactation consultant and midwives will help support your breastfeeding journey. It is important to feed or express regularly to help build and maintain milk supply.
The lactation consultant and midwives will help support your breastfeeding journey. It is important to feed or express regularly to help build and maintain milk supply.
It is common for babies to lose up to 10% of their birthweight initially. They will regain their birthweight within the first 2 weeks. A feeding plan will be discussed with you if your baby has lost more than 10% or continues to lose weight and is showing signs of dehydration.
Jaundice (yellow skin) is common in newborn babies. The jaundice level will be checked regularly during your stay. If the level is high, your baby will be treated with phototherapy (ultraviolet light).
Your baby may be admitted to Special Care Nursery (SCN) for a medical reason such as prematurity (born before 37 weeks), low birth weight (<2.5kg), low blood sugar, blood sugar monitoring due to gestational diabetes, suspected infection or if your baby required resuscitation at birth and requires monitoring or ongoing support.
All newborns will be offered this test at 36 hours to screen for conditions such as cystic fibrosis, adrenal insufficiency, underachieve thyroid and rare metabolic diseases.
What to expect once discharged home
The Maternal and Child Health Nurse from your local council will contact you to inform of their first home visit within the first 2 weeks of discharge from hospital. Ongoing review with them is highly recommended for growth and development monitoring.
They will also help organise New Parent Groups and Playgroups, linking you with other parents of similar aged children for socialising and support.
The Maternal and Child Health Nurse (MCHN) from your local council will contact you to inform of their first home visit within the first 2 weeks of discharge from hospital. Ongoing review with them is highly recommended for growth and development monitoring.
They will also help organise New Parent Groups and Playgroups, linking you with other parents of similar aged children for socialising and support.
It is common for babies to lose up to 10% of their birthweight initially. They will regain their birthweight within the first 2 weeks. A feeding plan will be discussed with you if your baby has lost more than 10% or continues to lose weight and is showing signs of dehydration.
The Maternal Child Health Helpline is a 24-hour service you can access to discuss concerns about your child’s health, nutrition, breastfeeding, and parenting issues. Tel: 13 22 29
Baby’s next vaccination is due at 6 weeks old. This can be organised with your GP or your local council. Your maternal and child health nurse will be able to provide more information about vaccination centres within your council area.
We recommend that your baby be given a vitamin D supplement until at least 12 months old or beyond. Vitamin D helps with their growth and promotes healthy bone development. You can buy infant Vitamin D supplements from any pharmacy. You do not need a prescription.
If there are any risk factors identified during your baby’s assessment, a hip ultrasound will be organised to rule out hip dysplasia.
Investigations ( e.g. kidney ultrasound, blood tests)will be organised if indicated based on your pregnancy, family history, and baby’s physical examination. It is important to let your paediatrician know of any abnormal findings detected during your pregnancy scans.
6 Week Baby check
Your baby will need a thorough physical examination at six weeks. You can either see your paediatrician who attended your baby at birth or your GP. You will, however, need to make an appointment with your paediatrician if investigations were ordered in the hospital or your baby was admitted into Special Care Nursery.
Following discharge from the postnatal ward or special care nursery, the referral made by your obstetrician to the paediatrician who attended your baby in hospital is valid until your baby is three months old. If further visits are required after three months old, then you will need to get a referral from a GP.
Antenatal Counselling
Our paediatricians are available to counsel parents prior to birth where there are concerns of genetic conditions or abnormalities found on antenatal scans. They can discuss the treatment plan for problems your newborn might have, help you understand the condition and educate you on how to prepare for the care of your newborn.
The mother will require a referral from the obstetrician or GP, preferably to the paediatrician who will be attending the delivery.