Dr Michaela Baulderstone has a special interest in child health and child development. She started the Oakden Kids Clinic after being fortunate to work with Child and Family Health in infant sleep and settling, child development and disability services.
The Oakden Kids Clinic is a GP Child Health clinic. The clinic is a special bridging service between the patient's normal GP care and specialist medical care. This clinic is ideal for infants and children with:
- Feeding or growth issues
- Severe sleep problems
- Disabilities
- Complex or severe health problems
- Sensory processing concerns
- Anxiety or emotional upset
- Autism spectrum disorder
- Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
- Challenging behaviour or problems at school
- Speech is not developing as expected
- Seem clumsy or fall often at play
- Get frustrated when trying to write or feed themselves
- Children whose teacher or child care worker has expressed a concern about development and the child needs a formal check up
Patients with further complicating health concerns or with significant co-morbidities will be referred for specialist paediatric care. For all other routine medical care, patients will be referred back to their usual GP.
This clinic also aims to provide families with:
- Dedicated long appointments (40 minutes minimum)
- A calm "no rush" environment for children with sensory or emotional issues to feel safe and confidant
- Assistance with co-ordination of care with specialist and allied health services
- Liaison with child care or school and the provision of school health care plans as needed t optimise learning and social development
A referral from the patient's usual GP is preferred but not essential.
Wherever appropriate, children with the following issues will require a Mental Health Care Plan from their GP:
- Anxiety or depression
- Sleep problems
- Enuresis
- ADHD
- ASD
- Bereavement (prolonged > 1 year)
- Behavioural Disturbance
- Emotional Dysregulation/Anger Issues
This will allow long appointments to access Focussed Psychological Strategies for these conditions. For more information please go www.mbsonline.gov.au and http://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/41852 for the list of conditions regarded as mental disorders for the purposes of the GP Mental Health Treatment items
Clinic visits will incur a $55.00 gap payment. If you are on a Health Care Card gap payment will be reduced to $25.00.
For GP Psychology services the gap will be $60.00 and for HCC holders $30.00.
A "Did Not Attend" or late cancellation fee of $60.00 is payable except in extenuating circumstances.
