We aim at the Belgrave Clinic to provide a setting that is accessible, friendly and helpful where parents can bring their children for a medical opinion, advice and treatment. Children are welcome at all surgeries and our style is to make them as relaxed as possible for a consultation about which they may be uncertain. There are many young families in the catchment area of the Clinic and the staff is widely experienced in dealing with their needs. The doctors and practice nurse are all paediatrically trained.
Though most presentations with children are for minor illness, the threat of serious conditions like meningitis, pneumonia and dehydration, among others, are very real. Very often there can be uncertainty in the early stages of an illness. We aim to help children and their parents during this difficult stage by offering attentive care and treatment; ongoing communication, by phone or otherwise; easy access to follow up; a clear out of hours service; with final reassurance or early and appropriate referral to the relevant secondary hospital or consultant setting.
The most common presenting conditions for children include:
- Ear, chest, eye and throat infections
- High temperature/non specific viral illness
- Gastroenteritis
- Skin conditions like eczema etc
- Asthma
- Behavioural problems
- Minor trauma
- Lumps, swellings, enlarged glands etc
- Eating problems, abdominal pain
- Urinary tract infections
We are fortunate being based in Dublin 6 to be close to a wide range of excellent paediatric services and consultants. We refer to the three large children’s hospitals in the city and the large number of consultants working privately in the area. We are in the catchment area of Lucena Clinic for psychiatric services. We tend to use the laboratory and phlebotomy services based at Our lady’s Hospital in Crumlin, it being the closest service to us.
We work closely with the local community paediatric services, and with the local public health nurses in particular. Developmental checks are carried out at the local public health clinics.
In order to receive their first childhood vaccinations, children must first be reviewed by a doctor in the Clinic. This is very often done at the 6-week check-up. Thereafter, parents can make an appointment with the practice nurse to receive their courses of the 6:1 and meningococcal vaccines. Equally, they can make a routine appointment to see the practice nurse for the MMR vaccine. The booster vaccine at 4-5 years of age is usually given at school. However, some schools in the area seem to get omitted from this plan and individual pupils may also miss the booster. We can give this booster if required.
For more information please go to www.immunisation.ie
Some parents like to have their children vaccinated against hepatitis B. This is outside the routine vaccination programme but is quite appropriate. We give this, as we would also give children vaccinations for travel purposes.
The clinic can immunize your child against chicken pox using the varicella vaccine. This vaccine is ordered on request in advance of your visit, so please book in advance and mention to our reception that you want to make a chicken pox immunization appointment
To receive this vaccination please ring reception to make an appointment. Two doses are required for full protection.