Neurology at Sydney Children's Hospital, Randwick
Contact details
Neurology
Enquiries: (02) 9382 1549
Neuromuscular
Enquiries: (02) 9382 1845
About the Neurology Department
The Department of Neurology comprises a caring and dedicated multidisciplinary 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.
The department has specialist interests in epilepsy, neuromuscular conditions, brain tumours, neurometabolic and neurogenetic conditions, and headache.
We aim for excellence in outpatient and inpatient services for the diagnosis and management of neurological disorders and to thereby improve the health and wellbeing of children through clinical care, research, education and advocacy. As a department, we value collaboration with other health services and practitioners, and aim to empower patients and families through better understanding and management of their / their child's condition.
Referral information
Please submit referrals using ConsultMed, a secure e-referral platform. Create an account to get started.
All Neurology appointments require a referral to a specific Doctor before an appointment can be made. As in many specialised areas, there is a waiting list.
General Neurology Clinic
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 very 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.
- Dr Ian Andrews (02) 9382 8205
- Assoc Prof Annie Bye (02) 9382 1549. No longer taking new patients. Accepts referrals for second opinions from neurologists.
- Dr Michael Cardamone (02) 9382 1549
- Dr Didu Kariyawasam (02) 9382 1658
- Dr Hugo Sampaio (02) 9382 1547
- Dr Tej Kandula (02) 9382 1658
- Dr Alexandra Johnson( 02) 9382 1547
- Dr Hooi Teoh (02) 9382 1547
Adolescent Epilepsy Clinic
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
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
This clinic is held at the Sydney Children's Hospital in the 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 multidisciplinary 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.
- For more information about ketogenic diet see pennsw.com.au
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
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
This clinic is held in the Bright Alliance Adolescent facility.
The Neuroimmunology Clinic is a quarterly clinic accepting referrals from paediatricians, paediatric neurologists.
Referrals
Referrals should be sent through Consultmed (general neurology clinic) and addressed to Dr Sekhar Pillai.
- Dr Ian Andrews (02) 9382 8205
- Dr Sekhar Pillai (02) 9382 1658
Neurometabolic Disorders Clinic
This clinic is held in the hospital's Outpatients Department
- Dr Michael Cardamone (02) 9382 1549
Neuromuscular Disorders Clinic
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
Referrals should be sent through Consultmed (neuromuscular clinic) and addressed to Dr Michelle Farrar, Dr Hugo Sampaio, Dr Didu Kariyawasam or Dr Tej Kandula.
- Dr Michelle Farrar (02) 9382 1549
- Dr Tej Kandula (02) 9382 1658
- Dr Didu Kariyawasam (02) 9382 1658
- Dr Hugo Sampaio (02) 9382 1547
Tuberous Sclerosis (TS) Clinic
This clinic is held at the Sydney Children's Hospital in the outpatient department or the medical day unit.
The TS clinic comprises a TSC 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.
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 9382 1111.
- We will call back between 1-4pm on weekdays.
- This account is not checked on weekends or public holidays.
Appointments for each Neurologist’s outpatient clinic are made through the Consultmed platform.
Outreach Clinics
Canberra: Woden Hospital
General Neurology
- Dr Hugo Sampaio (02) 9382 1547. Held monthly
- Dr Sekhar Pillai (02) 9382 1658. Held quarterly
Epilepsy
- Dr John Lawson (02) 9382 1658. Held quarterly
Neuromuscular
- Dr Hugo Sampaio (02) 9382 1845. Held twice yearly
Liverpool Hospital
General Neurology
- Dr Michael Cardamone (02) 9382 1658. Held quarterly
Wagga Wagga (Dr Preddy's rooms)
General Neurology
- Dr John Lawson (02) 6925 0210. Held quarterly
Wollongong (Wollongong rooms, 93 Smith St)
General Neurology
- Dr Ian Andrews (02) 4229 5925. Held fortnightly. Paediatrician referral only
Other health services also have paediatric neurology clinics within NSW and Sydney Metropolitan area, which are not run through Sydney Children's Hospital Network. These services should be contacted for bookings.
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.
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).
Please find the contact details below:
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
- Read more about this test on the PENNSW website
Nerve conduction studies/EMG
- Location: Neurophysiology Level 2, Prince of Wales Hospital
- Read more about this test
Neuroimaging studies (eg: MRI)
- Location: Radiology department, Prince of Wales Hospital
- Read more about this test on the PENNSW website
Staff list
A/Prof Annie Bye: Consultant Neurologist and Epileptologist
Dr John Lawson: Consultant Neurologist and Epileptologist
Dr Ian Andrews: Consultant Neurologist and Neuroimmunologist
Dr Hugo Sampaio: Consultant Neurologist and Neuromuscular physician
Dr Michael Cardamone: Consultant Neurologist and Epileptologist
Dr Michelle Farrar: Consultant Neurologist and Neuromuscular physician
Dr Alexandra Johnson: Consultant Neurologist
Dr Sekhar Pillai: Consultant Neurologist and Neuroimmunologist
Dr Tej Kandula: Consultant Neurologist
Dr Hooi Teoh: Consultant Neurologist
Erin Beavis: Clinical Nurse Consultant – Epilepsy
Margot Morrison: Clinical Nurse Consultant – Neuromuscular
Michelle Milner: Clinical Nurse Consultant – Neuromuscular
The team also comprises telemetry staff, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, dieticians, speech therapists, educators, administrative officers, social workers. We welcome collaboration with other medical teams and allied health staff.