Neurology, Sydney Children's Hospital, Randwick
Contact
Phone: (02) 9382 1549
About our service
Our neurology services is made up of a caring and dedicated team working with families to provide the highest level of care for infants, children and adolescents with neurological conditions. These can comprise disorders of the brain, nerves and muscles or neurodevelopmental disorders.
Our service has specialist interests in epilepsy, neuromuscular conditions, brain tumours, neurometabolic and neurogenetic conditions, and headache.
As in many specialised areas, there is a waiting list.
Referral process for clinicians
Our department is using Consultmed to manage referrals to the outpatient clinic. The Consultmed platform allows health professionals to send e-referrals to us securely.
To access the Neurology telephone consultation service, see the triage process outlined below.
Consultmed questions and technical support: helpdesk@consultmed.co
Telephone Consultation Service process for clinicians
Call Neurology triage
Call Neurology triage on (02) 7825 4033 (please note this line is for clinicians only):
- A welcome message will play.
Emergency and priority calls
For stroke or neurological emergency press 1:
- You will be transferred to the Randwick hospital Switchboard - press 0 and ask for Neurology on call.
All calls for Neurology consultation should first be discussed with the treating Pediatrician for your hospital even if the patient is previously known to our service.
For priority calls needing advice within the next 4 hours press 2:
- You will be transferred to the Neurology consultation service.
Non-urgent calls
For non urgent calls requiring advice within 24 hours:
- Complete a consultation request via consultmed.
- This service is not available on weekends and public holidays.
All routine outpatient referrals should also be sent through consultmed.
Triage categories:
- Suspected stroke
- Unconscious patient/encephalopathy/reduced GCS <12 with no clear aetiology
- Status epilepticus that has not responded to initial treatment as per APLS
- Significant neurological weakness with respiratory compromise
- NETS.
- Unwell patients or concerns for neurological deterioration, in‐patient or out‐patient
- Initial IN‐PATIENT/EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT‐ consultation that needs management plans that will alter the workflow and planning in peripheral hospitals, eg: organising investigations and treatment plans
- For routine updates and follow up plans, please use Advice and Guidance Service on Consultmed (see NON‐URGENT below).
Through advice and guidance service of Consultmed.
- For routine queries/advice on out‐patients
- Stable in‐patients that need further clarification and management plans
- Updates for patients known to a neurologist at SCH
- Routine updates or follow up plan on in‐patients who have had their initial phone consult.
Through out-patient section of consultmed.
- Any patients that need a neurological input as an outpatient.
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.
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 on (02) 9382 1549.
Clinic information
General Neurology clinic
Location: This clinic is held in the hospital's Outpatients Department.
We encourage General Practitioners to consider referral to a paediatrician as the first point of call. General Paediatricians are experienced in all aspects of paediatric care.
The paediatrician may want a neurological opinion subsequently and a process of shared care established. This has many benefits for patient care.
All paediatric neurologists accept general neurology referrals. Clinic appointments should be booked through the secretary for each neurologist.
Adolescent Epilepsy Clinic
Location: This clinic is held in the Bright Alliance Adolescent facility.
Clinic appointments should be booked through the secretary for each neurologist.
Cerebral Palsy assessment clinic
Location: This clinic is held in the Bright Alliance Adolescent facility.
Referrals should be sent through Consultmed (cerebral palsy assessment clinic) and addressed to Dr Hooi Teoh.
Complex Epilepsy clinic
Location: This clinic is held at Outpatient department or the medical day unit.
Most epilepsy patients are seen in general neurology clinics. Epilepsy clinics are supported by the Epilepsy Clinical Nurse Consultant and Epilepsy Educator.
The complex epilepsy clinic takes referrals from neurologists and includes the following services:
Ketogenic Diet
The Ketogenic Diet service includes a team with neurologists, clinical nurse consultant and dietician.
- A neurologist's referral is required addressed to Dr Michael Cardamone and Dr Tej Kandula.
- A GP referral is also required for ongoing care and is made through Consultmed.
Epilepsy Surgery
The complex epilepsy service comprises neurologists, neurosurgeons, clinical nurse consultant, neuroradiologist and neuroimaging experts working in conjunction with telemetry staff and nuclear medicine specialists (PET and SPECT) to consider whether a patient may be suitable for epilepsy surgery.
Surgery can stop or significantly reduce seizures when the right operation is done for the right patient. Careful consideration and discussion of cases is promoted through close links with the complex epilepsy network around Sydney.
Referral is through the paediatric neurology department.
Complex Movement Disorders clinic
Location: This clinic is held in the Bright Alliance Adolescent facility.
Movement Disorder Clinic is run through a partnership between neurology (Dr Michael Cardamone) and rehabilitation (Dr Maria Kyriagas).
Referrals are collated by the rehabilitation department.
Neuroimmunology clinic
Location: This clinic is held in the Bright Alliance Adolescent facility.
The Neuroimmunology Clinic is a quarterly clinic accepting referrals from paediatricians, paediatric neurologists.
Referrals should be sent through Consultmed (general neurology clinic) and addressed to Dr Sekhar Pillai.
Neuromuscular Disorders clinic
Location: This clinic is held at the Sydney Children's Hospital in the outpatient department or the medical day unit.
The neuromuscular service is an active multidisciplinary team consisting of neurologists, neuromuscular CNCs, geneticists, genetics CNCs, respiratory physician, clinical psychologist, social worker, occupational therapist, physiotherapist, dietitian, orthotist, cardiologist with strong links to the orthopaedic, endocrinology and sleep medicine teams.
Active research interests include SMA with newer therapies such as nusinersen.
This clinic manages direct referrals to the specialist neuromuscular MDT. A paediatrician or neurologist referral is preferred.
Referrals should be sent through Consultmed (neuromuscular clinic) and addressed to Dr Michelle Farrar, Dr Hugo Sampaio, Dr Didu Kariyawasam or Dr Tej Kandula.
Tuberous Sclerosis (TS) clinic
Location: This clinic is held at the Sydney Children's Hospital in the outpatient department or the medical day unit.
The Tuberous Sclerosis clinic comprises a speciality team, including a neurologist, nephrologist, geneticist, genetics CNC, dermatologist and developmental paediatrician with extensive knowledge of tuberous sclerosis and its complications.
Current research interests include mTOR inhibitors and specialist anti-epileptics, including canabinoid derivatives.
Referrals should be sent through Consultmed (TS clinic) and addressed to Dr Denise Chan.
Neurological investigations
The Neurology Department provide a neurophysiology service conducted as a shared service with the adult service at Prince of Wales Hospital.
Prolonged EEG, Ambulatory EEG and Telemetry are conducted from the telemetry service in the neurology ward at SCH.
Video-Electroencephalogram (EEG) Telemetry and Ambulatory EEG services are operated through Ward C1 North at Sydney Children’s Hospital, Randwick. This service may be of benefit in the diagnosis of seizures and the surgical assessment of patients with severe epilepsy.
Inpatient telemetry may require admissions from 24 hours to 5 days. Please discuss this with the relevant neurologist (Dr Lawson, A/Prof Bye, Dr Michael Cardamone, Dr Sekhar Pillai).
Routine EEG
- Location: Neurophysiology Level 2, Prince of Wales Hospital
- Phone: (02) 9382 2211
Ambulatory EEG/video EEG (Telemetry)
- Location: Level 2, Sydney Children's Hospital, Randwick
- Phone: (02) 9382 1801
Nerve conduction studies/EMG
- Location: Neurophysiology Level 2, Prince of Wales Hospital
Neuroimaging studies (eg: MRI)
- Location: Radiology department, Prince of Wales Hospital
Read more about MRI and EEG tests on the PENNSW website
Neurology advice service
This service is for paediatricians managing patients with neurological disorders outside of SCHN. Please submit queries via Consultmed.
- If you need urgent advice, please call the on-call neurology fellow through the SCH switchboard on (02) 9382 1111.
- We will call back between 1-4pm on weekdays. This account is not checked on weekends or public holidays.
Outreach clinics
Canberra
Location: Woden Hospital
General Neurology
- Dr Hugo Sampaio (02) 9382 1547. Held monthly.
- Dr Sekhar Pillai (02) 9382 1658. Held quarterly.
Neuromuscular
- Dr Hugo Sampaio (02) 9382 1845. Held twice yearly.
Wagga Wagga
Location: Dr Preddy's rooms
General Neurology
- Dr John Lawson (02) 6925 0210. Held quarterly.
Wollongong
Location: Wollongong rooms, 93 Smith St
General Neurology
- Dr Ian Andrews (02) 4229 5925. Held fortnightly. Paediatrician referral only.
