Paediatrics in Windsor

As a parent, you know your child best, and you know when something is wrong. When concerns for your child’s health arise, you need expert assessment, diagnosis, and treatment, without delay.

By seeing you rapidly, our paediatric consultants at Princess Margaret can offer their expertise to bring you reassurance and work towards bringing your child back to good health.

Kidney problems

The kidneys and bladder (renal system) are one of the body systems’ most implicated in congenital abnormalities. The bladder and kidneys are also vulnerable to bacterial infection and as well as systemic illnesses. Conditions covered by this subspecialty include:

• Congenital abnormalities (i.e. from birth)
• Concerns regarding blood pressure
• Urine and kidney infections
• Concerns regarding fluid balance
• Concerns regarding kidney function

Rather than waiting for an appointment on the NHS, a private appointment ensures an urgent timescale is adopted, as well as ensuring you see a consultant directly.

You’ll also benefit from greater time devoted to your child, giving your consultant the necessary time to hear your concerns and work towards a diagnosis.

The clinical pathways can vary greatly depending on the symptoms of your child. As a guide, the following is an outline of the pathway for children seen in the Allergy and respiratory service, which covers a large percentage of the children we see.

Prior to your consultation, you will be sent special forms to help provide information beforehand to keep you and your child well prepared for the topics that will be discussed.

Despite the fact that allergy tests (including skin allergy tests) and blood tests can be used to confirm a diagnosis, one of the main sources of information that can help provide a diagnosis and inform a management plan is your child’s medical history.

As such, there will be a detailed history-taking at the first appointment, and your consultant will ask about the symptoms your child has been experiencing, as well as any specific details that may help.

For example, frequent colds may be a phase in your child’s lifestyle due to increased exposure (such as a child starting nursery or school), which is a limited phase, meaning it should go away within a few months.

In other cases, there may be a pre-disposing condition, such as the presence of an allergy, including allergic rhinitis (inflammation inside the nose, often caused by pollen, dust, or animals). By treating the allergy, the colds tend to go away of their own accord.

If your child has had an allergic reaction to peanuts, for example, your consultant may ask for:

• Details of the reaction and the timescale involved
• The amount that caused the reaction
• Any previous incidents
• Whether or not other nuts and seeds cause similar issues
• Whether or not your child suffers from asthma, hay fever, eczema or other complaints

Frequently, a judgement can then be made on the severity of the allergy, as well as risk of future reaction, which sometimes depends on the presence or absence of asthma.

Private appointments typically last 30 minutes, although this can run over in an initial consultation to make sure all areas are covered.

Based on this information, your consultant can form a provisional diagnosis. Sometimes this may be enough to warrant issuing your child with an emergency kit, as well as determining the extent of the dietary requirements, with advice on foods to avoid.

If necessary, appropriate tests can then be booked, such as skin tests for certain allergies, or blood tests. Other conditions may require an ultrasound, CT or MRI scan, all of which can be done in our well-equipped radiology department on-site.

A follow-up appointment will then be arranged to discuss the results, comparing them with the medical history to give a more informed diagnosis.

Occasionally, a ‘food challenge’ may need to be arranged, requiring a stay in hospital, where small amounts of the food in question is given to your child in a controlled environment in order to make a definitive diagnosis.

Once this diagnosis is made, your consultant can offer you and your child a treatment plan tailored to their specific needs, often focused on managing their condition, especially when related to allergies. Any prescription needed can be picked up from our on-site pharmacy for added convenience.

Choosing to have your child’s care at Princess Margaret comes with a host of benefits, such as:

• Assessments ASAP – If your child has been suffering from unexplained symptoms, you won’t want to wait to be seen. Our consultants can see your child for an assessment without delay, getting you an accurate diagnosis rapidly, starting your child on the necessary treatment before their symptoms progress any further.
• Patient Satisfaction – 97.9% of patients in 2020 said they would happily recommend Princess Margaret Hospital to friends and family in an independent report, and we’re confident that you’ll agree. 98% also said that the quality of care here at Princess Margaret Hospital was either ‘very good’ or ‘excellent’. We aim to make you and your child’s stay with us as comfortable as possible, and these results highlight our continued efforts to ensure this is achieved.
• Dedicated Paediatrics Department – The Princess Margaret features a dedicated Paediatrics area, with specialist nurses to ensure exemplary care for your child, in a friendly and welcoming environment.
• Personalised Care – We believe in a bespoke approach to treatment, tailoring each experience to our patients’ needs and whatever may be best for you. This is regularly reviewed, ensuring you get the necessary treatment at every stage of your patient journey.
• A Multidisciplinary Approach – Our paediatricians at Princess Margaret work in tandem with other specialties to provide you with the best possible care from start to finish. Working closely with Ear, Nose & Throat specialists and paediatric surgeons, you have support from medical professionals with the relevant expertise every step of the way during your child’s treatment.
• Convenient appointments – With flexible appointments available at dedicated clinics throughout the week, you are sure to find an appointment slot that suits your needs and availability.

If your child has had any symptoms that are concerning you, why not book a consultation with one of our paediatric specialists today? Our consultants can outline all treatment options for you promptly, arranging any necessary diagnostic scans, treatment and surgery if required.

For peace of mind and expert care, book an appointment now.