16 Nov Got a child with Special Needs and wondering do I really need a Paediatrician for my child

Wondering What does a Paediatrician do that my Family Doctor can’t do

Here at My Favourite Physio, we see many babies and children with special needs and sometimes parents feel that their Paediatrician is not doing anything to help their child. As such, they decide to stop going to their Paediatrician for reviews. However, by doing so you may actually be doing your child a disservice. 

Here are 3 main reasons why a Child with Special Needs require a Paediatrician on their medical team:
1. Paediatricians play an important role in the management of a child’s medical care and needs. They often would be the person to order blood tests, brain scans and various investigations to determine the cause of your child’s impairments. Paediatricians are usually very experienced in childhood illnesses and diseases, so they will be looking for specific blood tests to look for various muscular or neurological causes that may account for your child’s condition.

2. Paediatricians are often the best placed person to be referring your child to various Medical Specialists such as Neurologists, Rehab Specialists, Paediatric Physiotherapists, Paediatric Occupational Therapists and Paediatric Speech Therapists. A good Paediatrician is often like the Team Manager who can coordinate care and have an overview of your child’s medical management plan. They also the best person to explain to you the results of various test and investigations for your child.

3. As your child grows, their needs changes. Your child’s Paediatrician is the best person to be monitoring their needs and growth changes that occur over time. For example, a child with Cerebral Palsy needs to have annual spine and hip checks which your Paediatrician should be able organise for and refer to Specialist Clinics at the Children’s Hospital when required.

Understand that you may not necessarily need a Private Paediatrician to look after your child, you may be able to access a Paediatrician in the Public Hospitals. However, every child with special needs should have a Good Paediatrician managing their overall care and the other medical professionals involved in the child’s care.

If you are concerned about your child with Special Needs, and you don’t have a Paediatrician for your child, reach out to My Favourite Physio to speak to one of our Expert Paediatric Physiotherapists today on (02) 9790 4233. We would love to help you out and ensure that your child has the best care that they deserve!