Child development service referral formAcute Assessment Unit
About us
Community Paediatrics is a specialist child health assessment and diagnostic service to meet the needs of children with special or complex health needs.
We work very closely with other health professionals, such children’s therapies, and also offer joint assessments.
We also work closely with non-health specialists working in education and social care.
Services include:
- Pre-school neuro-developmental assessments
- Social communication assessment clinics
- Looked-after children’s statutory health assessments
- Child protection medicals (2 years to 18 years)
Referrals
Referrals are accepted from:
- GPs in Richmond borough
- health visitors
- health therapists
- school nurses with GP consent
- other medical consultants (hospitals, CAMHS)
Developmental
- Neuro-developmental concern in pre-school children (below 5 years).
- Genetic condition known to be associated with developmental problems, such as Down's Syndrome
- Neurological problems associated developmental problems.
- Motor delay / clumsiness / coordination problems to exclude medical cause
- (associated learning problems are managed by education).
- Social communication problems in children younger than 5 years.
- Speech and language problems if the speech and language therapist is concerned and requesting paediatric input. This must be accompanied by a health visitor’s assessment and a detailed speech and language therapy report.
- NICU graduates likely to have developmental problems (26/40 week, <1000gm Birth weight).
- Complex medical needs.
- Complications resulting in severely abnormal cranial ultrasound/CT/MRI (e.g. IVH, hydrocephalus, hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy, peri-ventricular leukomalacia).
- Known serious metabolic conditions likely to cause developmental delay.
- Diagnosed blind or deaf.
- Uncomplicated ADHD <5 yrs (Richmond)
Educational
- Statutory Special Educational Needs Assessment (from Education).
Social services:
- Child protection medicals (from Social Services).
- Statutory looked after children / adoption work (from social services).
Referrals NOT appropriate for community paediatrics
- Enuresis – refer to School Health Nurse after medical review by GP and exclusion of physical problem.
- Emotional and behaviour problems:
- Signpost to Single Point of Access, Children’s Centres, Health Visitors, School Nurses, Primary Mental Health Team, or CAMHS.
- Physical health problems in children with normal neurodevelopment that need investigation – Refer to hospital paediatrics.
- Developmental co-ordination difficulties/dyspraxia- we do not offer service for assessment of this condition. Note: we will offer a single general consultation with neurological examination to exclude an organic cause for co-ordination difficulties, by specific request from GP.
- Specific learning difficulties – Dyslexia is an educational issue.
- Autism or Asperger’s Syndrome query in a child older than 5 years – refer to CAMHS.
- Learning difficulties – academic difficulties in school aged children should be assessed by the school SENCO and/or Educational Psychologists.
- Suspected ADHD > 5years without learning disability– refer to CAMHS.
- Self-harming or suspected eating disorder – refer to CAMHS.