We understand the concerns and the uncertainty arising from the constantly evolving COVID-19 situation. While the recent announcements regarding closure of non-essential businesses will affect many, please note that our clinic will continue to operate. We encourage you to contact us on the telephone numbers listed on this website.
Important information about Vaccines
The National Centre for Immunisation and Research (NCIRS) is an Australian Advising Body that works in conjunction with the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI).
The NCIRS has made the following statements regarding vaccines available in Australia:
- Vaccines save millions of lives worldwide every year.
- Vaccines have dramatically reduced deaths and disability from vaccine preventable diseases in Australia and globally.
- Vaccines protect not only the person receiving the vaccine but also those around them by reducing the spread of the disease.
- Vaccine safety is assessed and monitored on an ongoing basis in Australia.
- Like other medicines, all vaccines can cause mild side effects such as fever and pain, redness and swelling at the injection site.
- These side effects usually resolve on their own within a couple of days. Some vaccines can cause more serious side effects.
- If you are worried about a side effect after vaccination, talk to your healthcare provider.
ATAGI recommends that the following groups of children among those aged 12–15 years be prioritized for vaccination using the Comirnaty (Pfizer) vaccine:
- children with specified medical conditions that increase their risk of severe COVID-19 (including asthma, diabetes, obesity, cardiac and circulatory congenital anomalies, neuro-developmental disorders, epilepsy, immuno-compromised and trisomy 21)
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children aged 12–15 years
- all children aged 12–15 years in remote communities, as part of broader community outreach vaccination programs that provide vaccines for all ages (≥12 years).
For more information please visit: https://www.ncirs.org.
Newborn & Infant Assessment
The clinic offers comprehensive newborn assessment and cares for newborn conditions ranging from feeding and attachment difficulties, colic, and to sleep disturbance and difficulties to settle.
Asthma Assessment and Management
Asthma is a common condition in children. It is mainly due to over-sensitive airways to environmental aggravating factors called allergens. Correct evaluation of asthma symptoms is necessary for correct management. Every child with asthma requires an individual asthma plan tailored to their symptoms.
Sleep Disorders
Disturbed sleep in childhood can be due to obstructed upper airway breathing, or a disturbed sleep cycle. Proper assessment of the cause will guide appropriate management and lead to improvement of your child’s health and wellbeing.
Constipation & Toileting Problems
By nature, toddlers are fussy eaters. Moreover, their water intake is far less than what their body needs. Both factors tend to cause constipation in children. If long-standing, constipation may lead to stool incontinence and “poo accidents”. Seeing a paediatrician can be helpful in determining the cause of the problem and setting an individualized approach for your child.
Epilepsy & Seizure Assessment
Neurological events such as seizures are fairly common in children. A paediatric assessment would help you identify if a neurological event is, in fact, a seizure. Investigation and management of seizures including epilepsy plans are then devised to suit your child.
Recurring Abdominal Pain
Recurring abdominal pain is another common complaint in school-aged children. Sometimes, the pain is quite intense so as to require hospital presentation. Parents fear the worst and appendicitis commonly comes to mind. In contrast to appendicitis, recurring abdominal pain resolves spontaneously after minutes to hours but recurs over time. As such, it then calls for a medical assessment and investigations as required.
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD/ADD)
Contrary to common belief that ADHD is a behavioural condition, research has shown that the Disorder of function is secondary to the immaturity of certain areas of the brain. The resulting functional impairment can lead to learning deficits, behavioural disruption, and difficulty establishing appropriate peer relationships. In effect, a child or a young person with ADHD can lag behind their peers at school or find it hard to tackle social settings where negotiation is required. Behavioural paediatrics focuses on working with families in mitigating the negative effects of ADHD and improving a child’s functional outlook.
Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD)
Recent research into the spectrum of autism in children found that the incidence of the condition is around one in 65 from the general population of children. With such high incidence, autism seems to have changed in its profile to what has originally been known about the condition. In its core, ASD is identified by deficits in social and communication skills coupled with a fixation on certain areas of interest. Should you have a suspicion that your child has deficits in key social areas, it is important to seek proper assessment as there are early intervention measures capable of improving a child’s outlook.
Toileting Problems
Getting your child toilet trained can be tricky at best. As a child passes from infancy into becoming a toddler, certain body functions undergo maturation; one of these functions is the ability to hold onto motions to prevent involuntary soiling. In some children, the holding behaviour overrides the appropriate response of “letting go” of motions resulting in constipation and on chronic cases what is known as overflow incontinence. It is important to address these issues early on to prevent a vicious cycle of chronic constipation and its related consequences of overflow incontinence.
