Allergy and immunology, The Children's Hospital at Westmead
Contact
Phone: (02) 7825 3418 or (02) 7825 3420
Urgent cases: (02) 7825 3420 and ask to page consultant
Clinic: Medical Outpatients department, level 2
Immunology Lab: Pathology department, level 2
About our service
The department of Allergy and Immunology provides consultations, investigation and treatment of patients with allergic, autoimmune, autoinflammatory and immunological disorders.
We provide:
- consultative services and outpatient clinics for allergy and immunology
- inpatient and outpatient allergy challenge clinics to investigate problems of food and drug allergy
- initiation of insect venom and aero-allergen immunotherapy when appropriate
- tests to investigate allergic and immunological disorders performed by the Immunology Laboratory
Our mission is to provide quality care and to promote translational research concerning children with allergic and immunological disorders.
Referral process for clinicians
Our department is using Consultmed to manage referrals. The Consultmed platform allows health professionals to send e-referrals to us securely.
Consultmed questions and technical support: helpdesk@consultmed.co
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 GP, paediatrician or specialist.
They will assess your child, discuss your concerns, and make a referral to the appropriate service.
The outpatient service is largely tertiary referral. Direct GP referrals will only be accepted for children who meet one of the following criteria:
- Anaphylaxis (as per ASCIA definition) to any food, drug or insect
- Failure-to-thrive in an infant with severe eczema or suspected non-IgE-mediated food protein enteropathy. Enteropathy symptoms may include persistent diarrhoea, weight loss, low albumin, and Fe deficiency.
- FPIES (delayed profuse vomiting) to rice, oat, cow’s milk, soy or egg, with reactions on at least two separate occasions to the same food
- Suspected or proven IgE-mediated drug allergy, with an urgent requirement for use of that drug class.
Direct GP referrals for suspected immunodeficiency or autoimmunity must be discussed with the Immunology Fellow or the consultant on-call, prior to the referral being accepted.
Direct GP referrals for other allergic diseases not meeting the above criteria (including atopic dermatitis, allergic rhinitis and asthma) are not generally accepted. These children should be referred to a general paediatrician or specialist dermatologist or respiratory paediatrician.
Requests for urgent review can also be discussed with the Immunology Fellow or the consultant on-call.
Track your referral
Our department uses Consultmed to manage referrals. Your referring clinician sends the e-referral to us using the secure Consultmed platform.
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.
If your clinician has questions about Consultmed or require technical support, they can contact helpdesk@consultmed.co.
Need support?
If you need help or have questions about the referral and appointment process, please contact us.
Enquiries: (02) 7825 3418 or (02) 7825 3420
Appointments: (02) 7825 2525
Urgent cases: (02) 7825 3420 and ask to page consultant
Clinics and testing
Clinic information
Function: Assessment and management of children with immunological disorders, allergy or autoimmunity.
Location: Medical Outpatients Department
Clinic days: Tuesday morning and afternoon, Friday morning
Consultants:
- Dr Melanie Wong
- Professor Dianne Campbell
- Dr Lara Ford
- Dr Peter Hsu
- Dr Preeti Joshi
- Dr John Tan
Immunology laboratory
The Immunology laboratory is located within the Pathology Department at The Children's Hospital at Westmead. The laboratory performs a variety of tests, concentrating on those of immunocompetence and immunodeficiency, as well as the diagnosis of coeliac disease.
The laboratory can be contacted by phone on (02) 7825 3323 or email andrew.williams1@health.nsw.gov.au.
Tests available
Immunocompetence testing:
- Pneumococcal IgG antibodies
- Haemophilus influenzae B antibodies
- Tetanus antibodies
- Diphtheria antibodies
Autoimmunity:
- Tissue transglutaminase IgA antibodies
- Deamidated gliadin IgG antibodies
- Anti-nuclear antibodies
Immunochemistry:
- Immunoglobulins GAM and E
- IgG subclasses
- Anti-streptolysin O titres
- Anti DNAse B antibodies
- Complement C3 and C4
- Serum Amyloid A
Flow-based methods:
- T and B cell subsets
- Oncology immunophenotyping
Methods for detection of specific immunodeficiencies by flow:
- Intracellular Perforin
- Regulatory T-cells (TREG) via CD127 expression
- CD markers for diagnosis of Leucocyte Adhesion Defects
- Markers for diagnosis of Hyper IgM including CD40 and CD40L
- Dihydrorhodamine for Neutrophil defects
- Memory and naïve T and B cell subsets
Gene Sequencing:
- ADA (Adenosine Deaminase)
- AICDA (Activation-induced cytidine deaminase)
- AIRE (autoimmune regulator)
- BIRC4 (XIAP)
- CTLA4 (cytotoxic T-lymphocyte associated protein 4)
- CYBB (Cytochrome b-245, beta polypeptide, GP91-PHOX)
- DCLRE1C (ARTEMIS)
- DNA Ligase IV
- ELANE (Elastase, neutrophil expressed)
- FAS (TNF receptor superfamily, member 6)
- FOXP3 (Forkhead box P3)
- IFNGR1 (Interferon gamma receptor 1)
- IFNGR2 (Interferon gamma receptor 2)
- IL12B (Interleukin12-Beta)
- IL7R (Interleukin 7 receptor)
- IRAK4 (Interleukin-1 receptor-associated kinase 4)
- MVK (Mevalonate Kinase)
- MYD88 (Myeloid differentiation primary response gene 88)
- NFKBIA (Nuclear factor of kappa light polypeptide gene enhancer in b-cells inhibitor, alpha)
- PIK3CD (hotspots)
- PRF1 (Perforin 1 pore-forming protein)
- RAG1 and RAG2 (Recombination activating gene 1 and 2)
- SH2D1A (SAP)
- STAT1 (Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription 1)(Coiled-coil and DNA binding domains)
- STAT3 (Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription 3)(DNA binding and SH2 domains)
- STX11 (Syntaxin 11)
- UNC13D (Unc-13 homolog D)
- XIAP (X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis; BIRC4)
Neutrophil function tests (must be booked with laboratory in advance)
- NBT
- Chemiluminescence
- Dihydrorhodamine (DHR)
