Spina bifida, Sydney Children's Hospital, Randwick
Contact
Phone: (02) 9382 0178
Email: [email protected]
Location: Level 2 of the Ainsworth Building (South West Wing), Sydney Children's Hospital, High Street, Randwick.
About our service
The Spinal Dysraphism Clinic (formerly the Spina Bifida service) is part of Rehab2Kids and provides a comprehensive and co-ordinated multi-disciplinary service to children with neural tube defects. Both inpatient and outpatient services as well as antenatal counselling are available.
Referral information and eligibility criteria
This service is a part of Rehab2Kids, Sydney Children's Hospital, Randwick.
See Rehab2Kids for referral and eligibility information.
To be eligible for this clinic, there has to be a diagnosis of confirmed spinal dysraphism including:
- spina bifida (myelomeningocoele, meningocoele)
- lipomyelomeningocele
- lipoma
- low lying cord (below L2/tethered cord syndrome)
- diastomatomyelia
- sacral agenesis/caudal regression
- dorsal dermal sinus tract.
An isolated spina bifida occulta with no evidence of cord abnormality is a common incidental finding in ~10% of the population and does not meet eligibility criteria for this clinic.
Clinic information
Clinic times: Outpatient services are held alternate Fridays and consist of a multi-disciplinary clinic including both medical and allied health personnel
Services encompass the expertise of physicians, neurosurgeons, urologist, orthopaedic surgeons, endocrinologists, neurologists and psychologists. Dietetic services are available together with occupational, physiotherapy and orthotic services. A designated social worker is assigned to the clinic. The clinic also has access to a neuropsychologist if there are cognitive concerns related to the underlying spinal dysraphism.
A clinical nurse consultant provides a continuum of care between hospital and home. As it is important that children with spina bifida receive as much care and attention in their own area as possible, our Clinic would be happy to co-ordinate and provide services that are not locally available. The clinic serves the function of a tertiary referral institution with all children having their own General Practitioner, paediatrician and allied health services in their local area.
