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Community Paediatrics (Islington)

Community Paediatrics (Islington)

Main Address

Who is the Community Paediatrics Service for?
 
The Community Paediatric Service is for Islington children and young people who have a neurodisability or a possible developmental disorder.
 
We see children and young people until the age of 18, and older if they attend an Islington specialist school when we will see them at their school until they leave school.
 
Specialist Paediatricians assess, diagnose and manage children with a range of developmental difficulties and disabilities. We provide ongoing follow-up to children with significant disabilities, including in dedicated clinics in Islington’s special schools.
 
The range of conditions that fall under our remit includes:
 
  • Neurological conditions such as Cerebral Palsy, Congenital Muscular Dystrophy etc.
  • Syndromes associated with global developmental delay or Intellectual/Learning Disability such as Down Syndrome, Williams Syndrome etc.
  • Developmental Disorders such as Autism/Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD, ‘Dyspraxia’).
 
We are part of a wider team including Physiotherapists, Occupational Therapists, Speech and Language Therapists and Dietitians. We work closely together, sometimes in joint (multidisciplinary) clinics. We have the support of a health care assistant.
 
In addition, we provide health information about children who are undergoing an assessment for an EHCP. We also provide an acute child protection service for children who are referred by Social Care and in whom physical abuse or medical neglect is alleged or suspected. We also provide the medical input to the Children Looked After (CLA) service.

General Enquiries

whh-tr.compaed-islppc@nhs.net

Helpline

020 3316 1906 / 1882 / 1883 (020 3316 1877 - for all referral queries)

Appointments

020 3316 1881

Useful resources

Lead manager

Monday to Friday
9am - 5pm
Who can refer and how?

We accept referrals from a wide range of health and educational professionals working with children e.g. school and nursery SENCOs, GPs, Health Visitors, General Paediatricians, Therapists (PT, OT and SLT), CAMHS professionals etc. We have a generic wider service referral template, but we also accept regular non template referrals. Click here.
 
 
Please note referrals should only be sent via email, whh-tr.islchildrensreferrals@nhs.net  (020 3316 1877 - for all referral queries).
 
When to refer
 
  • We accept referrals of children with global developmental delay or learning/intellectual disability. We investigate these children for an underlying cause. We subsequently discharge these children from our caseload unless ongoing medical surveillance of the diagnosed underlying cause is required (Down Syndrome, Williams Syndrome etc).
  • We diagnose children with ASD, DCD (Developmental Coordination Disorder) and ADHD. We subsequently discharge these children unless they are on medical treatment for ADHD. We accept referrals for the medical treatment of ADHD.
    • For queries regarding ASD under the age of 5, please refer to SCT (Social Communication Team).
    • For queries regarding ASD at age 5 or older, please refer to the Neuro Developmental Team at CAMHS.
    • For queries regarding DCD ('dyspraxia'), please refer to OT who will see the child in the first instance.
    • For queries regarding ADHD, please refer to the Neuro Developmental Team at CAMHS.
  • We provide medical surveillance for children with certain genetic syndromes (Down syndrome, Williams syndrome etc).
  • We follow up children with neurological conditions whose motor skills are significantly affected (cerebral palsy, neuromuscular diseases etc).
  • We see children who attend the specialist schools (Richard Cloudesley School and Bridge School/ILS) and we do this on site.
  • We treat sleep onset latency in children with neurological conditions or developmental disorders with Melatonin if suitable. GPs can initiate Melatonin treatment in children who have significant difficulties falling asleep but we are also happy to initiate this treatment provided they also have a developmental or neurological condition.
 
Which referrals are not accepted?
 
  • We do not see children for developmental follow up/regular developmental assessments etc.
  • We do not see children who are falling behind at school without any specific red flags for ASD, DCD or ADHD. If the child is found to have an intellectual/learning disability (by the educational psychologist) we will accept a referral for this child for investigations into the potential underlying cause of this intellectual/learning disability.
  • We do not accept referrals for possible dyslexia.
  • We do not accept referrals for behavioural difficulties in children who have already been diagnosed with ASD, DCD or ADHD or have already been investigated for their global developmental delay. These referrals should be directed to CAMHS.
  • We do not accept referrals for health problems in children who happen to also have a developmental disorder (such as ASD or ADHD) or learning difficulties/disability. These referrals should be directed to general paediatrics (based at the hospital).
  • We do not accept referrals for children for a health problem purely because they also have difficulties with their mental health, being adequately parented, or with their schooling. These referrals should be directed to general paediatrics (based at the hospital).
  • We do not see children to coordinate the care provided by other medical or surgical specialties.
Last updated30 Aug 2023
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