Feeding and dysphagia, Sydney Children's Hospital, Randwick
Contact
Phone: (02) 9382 1021
Email: [email protected]
Location: Outpatients department, Sydney Children's Hospital, Randwick
About our service
Children with feeding difficulties may be seen through a range of outpatient feeding (dysphagia) services at Sydney Children鈥檚 Hospital, Randwick depending on their level of need.
Referral process for clinicians
Our department is using to manage referrals.鈥疶he Consultmed platform allows health professionals to send e-referrals to us securely. 鈥�
Consultmed questions and technical support: [email protected]
Referral and appointment process for parents and carers
Request a referral
To make an appointment at our clinic, you will need a referral from your medical officer, paediatrician or specialist.
They will assess your child, discuss your concerns, and make a referral to the appropriate service.鈥�
Track your referral
Our department uses Consultmed to manage referrals. Your referring clinician sends the e-referral to us using the secure Consultmed platform.鈥�
Once we receive the referral, we will send you an email with your tracking information. We will update you as we process the referral and book your appointment.
To receive these updates, please ask your referring clinician to include your email on the referral.鈥�
If your clinician has questions about Consultmed or require technical support, they can contact [email protected].
Need support?
If you need help or have questions about the referral and appointment process, please contact us.鈥�
General feeding and nutrition clinics: (02) 9382 1021
Feeding Team, Speech Pathology Department: (02) 9382 1021
Clinic information
General Feeding clinic
Clinic details
- Every Thursday morning
- Outpatients clinic, High Street entrance
- The Feeding Clinic provides assessment and treatment for infants, toddlers and children who present with complex feeding problems and require specialised assessment, advice or interventions from a multi-disciplinary team. To qualify for the Feeding Clinic children must have concerns in the areas of feeding skills and growth/nutrition.
Services offered
- Consultation and in-clinic assessment of feeding and nutrition
- Multidisciplinary approach 鈥揝peech Pathologist and Dietitian, with Clinical Psychologist and Paediatrician as required
- Diagnostic investigation eg Modified Barium Swallow study
- Ongoing management with referral back to local services as appropriate
- Tube weaning (inpatient or outpatient) offering admission to hospital, depending on support and required supervision
Feeding outcomes
- Establishment of healthy nutritional status and safe oral feeding
Indications for referral
- Poor or limited oral intake with or without medical complications
- Medical conditions that place the child at risk of developing significant feeding issues
- Enteral feeds
- Food refusal
- Failure to thrive
- Choking or coughing during feeding
- Oral motor and sensory problems
- Swallowing in-coordination
- Excessive feeding times and any issues related to feeding problems
- Behavioural or interaction issues surrounding eating/food refusal including autism
General Nutrition clinic
Clinic details
- Selected Tuesdays and Thursdays
- Hours are 7:30am-10:30am, 10:30am-13:30pm and 14:00pm-17:4 pm
- Outpatients department, High Street entrance
- The clinic caters for children requiring nutrition assessment and dietary education
Indications for referral
- Growth faltering - poor growth as shown on recent heights and weights plotted on a growth chart
- Vitamin or mineral deficiency - as confirmed by a recent blood test
- Above the 85th percentile for BMI and requiring an interpreter
- Above the 85th percentile for BMI and less than 4 years of age
- Enterally fed children
Speech Pathology service
The Speech Pathology department provides a service to children whose nutritional status is stable but present with feeding difficulties arising mainly from oral motor and sensory difficulties in addition to other mealtime management issues.
Services
- Assessment
- Therapy
- Review
- Ongoing management with referral back to local services as appropriate
- Modified Barium Swallow investigations as appropriate
Indications for referral
- Oral motor and sensory feeding difficulties
- Swallowing in-coordination
- Aspiration concerns
- Behavioural or interaction issues surrounding eating and/or food refusal including autism
- Feeding outcomes
- Establishment of safe feeding practices and normalization of mealtime patterns
