Other Care Options for Paediatric Health Concerns

We recommend that you make an appointment with your GP to work through and discuss this information.

CAVUCS - Video consultation with a paediatrician at the Women’s and Children’s Hospital

CAVUCS is The Child and Adolescent Virtual Urgent Care Service for children from 6 months of age up to 18 years with non-life-threatening conditions. Phone -(08) 8161 7000 to organise a Video Appointment between 9 am-9 pm, 7 days a week, including public holidays. 

Referral for ADHD or Autism Spectrum Diagnosis?

Referrals for Autism assessments are generally no longer being accepted due to current capacity constraints.

For current or previously accepted patients who are waiting for a first appointment regarding Autism concerns, the associated paediatricians may provide a provisional diagnosis and refer or recommend a formal assessment. They will generally not offer to do a formal assessment themselves. We recommend that families undertake a diagnostic assessment with a psychologist for Autism, ADHD, or other mental health, behavioural or learning concerns.

If formally diagnosed with Autism or some other Complex Neurological conditions, the paediatrician may be able to offer a follow-up appointment for an item 135 service if the patient has an appointment on their books.

Getting a Diagnostic Assessment for Autism

For older children, you can consider self-referral to an allied health diagnostic team (Psychologist and Speech Pathologist) or just a Psychologist for Autism Diagnostic Assessment.

Your child’s psychologist or other allied health therapists of GP may be able to advise on whether this assessment is something they would recommend for your child. Working with a psychologist under a GP Mental Health Care Plan Referral may help shed light on whether an Autism Assessment might be helpful.

Psychologists and other Allied Health Providers can provide therapy for Autism.

Psychologists can assess, diagnose and report on ADHD, Autism, and a range of other developmental, learning and mental health conditions, such as anxiety.

Referral Options for Concerns regarding attention, hyperactivity, learning, anxiety etc.

GP Mental Health Care Plan Referrals: Older children and adolescents can see a psychologist for diagnostic assessment of anxiety, learning, attention and other issues. The psychologist can consider a range of factors or conditions that may underlie your child’s concerns. Psychologists and Occupational Therapists can work with children and adolescents to help manage and improve symptoms, school performance, relationships and general life challenges. Discuss a Mental Health Plan Referral with your GP to access up to 10 rebated sessions per year.

Auditory Processing Disorder Assessments: Families can self-refer a child to an Audiologist but may benefit from discussing this option with their child’s psychologist, occupational therapist, speech pathologist, audiologist or GP. Auditory Processing Disorder can be an issue for children who may appear to have difficulties with attention but, in fact, have challenges in processing the sound and language environment around them and in their classrooms.

Behavioural and Mental Health Concerns- Referral Options

GP Mental Health Care Plan Referral: Your child’s GP can refer your child to a psychologist for up to 10 sessions of therapy and any needed assessment for your child’s behavioural or mental health concerns.

Play Therapy may be helpful for children up to 11 years old for behavioural, attachment, anxiety, trauma and emotional dysregulation concerns.

GP referral to a Child Psychiatrist: For complex mental health concerns, your GP may refer your child to a child psychiatrist or CAMHS (publicly funded service) for care or at least one psychiatrist appointment to provide management guidance to the GP.

Adult services for older adolescents? Young people aged at least 16 and older may be able to satisfactorily access adult services or at least get onto the wait list for these.

Various online programs and services for all ages

Paediatric Sub-Specialist Referral

Paediatric sub-specialists can often see paediatric patients more quickly than paediatricians. They may recommend a referral to a general paediatrician after they have reviewed the child. Your GP may issue concurrent referrals to a paediatrician and a subspecialist.

Subspecialties include gastroenterology, gynaecology, rheumatology, orthopaedics, psychiatry, endocrinology etc.

Older Adolescents

An adult subspecialist may be happy to see an older adolescent.

Adult specialists may have shorter wait times.

Starting with an adult specialist, rather than a paediatrician, can allow patients aged around 17 or 18 to achieve better continuity of care into adulthood.

More information about these or other services

Our website has links to services, resources or programs that may assist your child.