We offer a range of paediatric services at Western Children's Health Centre. If you have any queries or concerns, please email our clinic at [email protected], and our friendly staff will be delighted to assist you.
General paediatricians are doctors who care for chlidren ranging from newborn babies, infants, children and adolescents. Visits to the general paediatrician range from a simple 6 week check up for your newborn, to ongoing care for children with complex and chronic medical conditions.
We work closely and proactively with other professionals involved in your child’s care. These may include speech pathologists, psychologists, teachers and educators, other medical specialists, dentists, occupational therapists and physiotherapists.
Our areas of expertise include:
We see children with developmental delay, Autism Spectrum Disorders, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, oppositional behaviours, anger issues, sleep disorders, learning difficulties, language disorders, tics and Tourettes Disorder, anxiety and depression, and a range of other conditions.
We work closely with psychologists, speech pathologists, occupational therapists, and teachers to provide a comprehensive service to your child and family.
Our areas of expertise include:
Paediatric Allergist & Immunologist focuses on allergic conditions affecting babies and children and includes common conditions like food and environmental allergies.
Our areas of expertise include:
Occuptational Therapist helps children achieve their developmental milestones such as fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination. This is achieved by involving and educating parents, carers and others to facilitate the normal development and learning of children.
Our areas of expertise include:
Paediatric Speech Pathologists can assess, diagnose and treat children with a range of language, social and learning issues. They ensure assessment in a child-friendly and interactive environment, using play based activities.
It is essential that parents be involved actively during planning and therapy tasks, so as to maximise the child’s potential to achieve their language skills in an everyday setting.
Our areas of expertise include:
Accredited Practising Paediatric Dietitians use evidence-based practice to help children and their families to achieve the best possible nutrition outcomes, taking medical history, food and sensory preferences into account. We help improve nutrition quality in practical achievable ways, to help to create positive mealtime experiences.
Accredited Practising Dietitians work with parents/carers and the child to help them enjoy their food while managing their specific nutrition needs.
Our Initial Assessment and Review appointments are all 50-minutes to allow for a thorough assessment of your child’s medical history, growth and nutrition, any medications and supplements, your child’s food and sensory preferences and religious or cultural preferences and appropriate therapy. We discuss appropriate nutrition goals for your child and work collaboratively with the parent to decide on the optimal combination of ongoing education, therapy, strategies and coaching to achieve this.
For restricted eaters we may provide a combination of nutrition education, food therapy and parent education, coaching and support, depending on the needs of the child. Our Food Therapy uses learnings from the SOS (Sequential Oral Sensory) Approach to Feeding, Responsive Feeding therapy, sensational Mealtimes and other approaches.
Our areas of expertise include:
At Western Children’s, we take pride in running a number of group programs for children with a variety of medical and developmental needs. These programs are run by our experienced speech therapist, dietician, occupational therapist and parenting consultant.
To join a group we require an initial one-to-one session to match your child to a group, based on their stage of development and their strengths.
Feeding therapy for individuals or in a small group, depending upon the needs of the child.
Hanen parent training runs as either a group or an individual session, depending upon needs. We offer two programs:
Our preschool groups are designed to work on a range of essential developmental skills required for kinder and school. The groups have a balance of social skills, speech and language skills and fine motor skills.
They are facilitated by an experienced VIT registered early childhood teacher.
A group for 2-3 year olds and their parents/carers. Parents/carers learn strategies for home. This group is full of creative play, art, craft, songs and movement.
Max group size of 3.
A group for 3-4 year olds. Children will engage in creative drama and dance, art, craft and songs to expand their language and vocabulary.
Max group size of 4.
A group for 4-5 year olds. Children are supported to build language, social skills, increase fine motor skills, attention, visual perception and self-regulation.
Max group size of 4.
These groups will assist children to become ready to begin school successfully, and ready to learn. The groups will cover social, emotional and academic readiness.
Groups will be small, in order to facilitate children’s learning, so numbers are limited.
Children will bring their school bag and lunch and drink.
Our school groups are facilitated by an experienced speech pathologist and VIT registered teacher.
Our school groups focus upon building social skills, speech and language skills and fine motor skills.
A group for 5-7 year olds. Children will engage in art, craft and songs designed to develop their fine motor skills, language and listening skills.
Max group size 4.
A group for 5-7 year olds. Aimed at building children’s comprehension and narrative skills.
Max group size 6.
A group for 7-8 year olds. Children use play to practice their story making and writing skills.
Max group size 6.
We have a range of groups for children aged 5-8 years specifically aimed at developing social skills. Please call as we will match your child according to their current ability.
Still have something to ask? Please email us, at [email protected], and we will endeavour to respond within 48 hours.