Paediatrics I St Vincent’s Private Hospitals

St Vincent’s Private Hospitals offer a wide range of paediatric related services, for details of the paediatric services at your local St Vincent’s Private Hospital, click here.

We provide individualised, high quality care to children and their families.

At St Vincent’s Private Hospitals, our paediatric staff are knowledgeable, experienced and happy to talk to you about your child’s hospital journey. No-one knows your child better than you, so we look forward to working together to ensure your child has a positive hospital experience.

We know that a hospital visit can be a stressful time for all families and we encourage you to ask as many questions as you need to.

By preparing your child for their visit to hospital you can help make the visit a better experience for your child and your family. If your child is coming in for surgery, it’s best to tell them the truth about why they’re coming to hospital.

Telling your child prior to their admission gives them time to ask questions and to increase their understanding of what’s going to happen.

If you have a young child or infant, use simple language that doesn’t make them fearful. Remind your child that the nurses are going to look after them and care for them. Young children can benefit from role play. Using dolls or toys, you can put on bandages or band-aids, like they might have in hospital.

Our paediatricians and paediatric surgeons

Some of Australia’s leading paediatricians and paediatric surgeons practice at a St Vincent’s Private Hospital.

They are amongst Australia’s most respected practitioners, who have all undergone a rigorous process of assessment prior to gaining admitting privileges to our hospitals.

We have paediatricians and paediatric surgeons with interests and expertise in all aspects of paediatrics.

Orthopaedics (bones, joints and soft tissue)
Ear nose and throat surgery
Urology
Plastics and reconstructive surgery
Baby and Parenting Support Service (BAPSS) **only available at St Vincent's Private Hospital Toowoomba

General surgery for infants, children and adolescents
Sleep testing
Management of birth defects
Management of prematurity
Limb-lengthening surgery

When your child comes home

When your child comes home from a stay in hospital, there are things you can do to ensure they have the best recovery.

Always administer the medications for your child as prescribed by your doctor. If you are unsure of exactly what your child requires, please call your surgeon for confirmation.

Your child’s diet

Depending on their procedure, your child may not always have their usual appetite after surgery. It’s important that you ensure your child is receiving enough fluids to avoid dehydration. Provide foods that are easy to swallow and encourage your child to eat.

If, after a few days, your child’s diet is not improving please contact your doctor.

Monitoring your child’s recovery

If your child experiences any of the following, contact your surgeon:

Fever greater than 38 degrees Celsius
Difficulty in breathing
Ongoing nausea and vomiting
Ongoing pain not relieved by medication
Excessive bleeding
Any complication as a direct result of surgery

At the Mater we offer orthopaedics and ear, nose and throat (ENT) surgery for children up to the age of 14 years.

Information for parents and carers

Children recover best with the support of a trusted parent or carer by their side during their hospital stay. Parents are encouraged to stay with their child when they come to hospital.

We cater for one parent to stay overnight by the child’s bedside. The resident parent will have a fold-out bed and we’ll provide them with meals.

Any siblings will need another adult to care for them on the day of surgery, as children won’t have access to the theatre or the recovery area.

Your GP can refer you to one of our paediatric specialists.

Find details of our paediatric specialists here

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St Vincent’s Kids is the largest private paediatric unit in Victoria

We have 22 paediatric hospital beds. We specialise in orthopaedics (bones, joints and soft tissue), ear nose and throat surgery, urology, plastics and general surgery for infants, children and adolescents.

We also run a paediatric sleep unit, helping to analyse your child’s sleep to assist in diagnosis and treatment.

Information for parents and carers

Children recover best with the support of a trusted parent or carer by their side during their hospital stay. Parents are encouraged to stay with their child when they come to hospital.

We cater for one parent to stay overnight by the child’s bedside. The resident parent will have a fold-out bed and we’ll provide them with meals.

Any siblings will need another adult to care for them on the day of surgery, as children won’t have access to the theatre or the recovery area.

St Vincent's Health Australia is committed to the safety and wellbeing of all children and young people. It is a primary focus in our delivery of healthcare to patients. We have a zero-tolerance policy for any form of child abuse including, physical violence, sexual offenses, emotional or psychological abuse, or neglect. Read our full statement on our commitment to child safety here.

Your GP can refer you to one of our paediatric specialists.

Find details of our paediatric specialists here

View our Commitment to Child Safety Statement here

Contact Us

Children admitted to our hospital receive expert care in our paediatric ward, St Gabriel’s Unit.

In St Gabriel’s Unit we have highly skilled and experienced paediatricians who will ensure your child receives the best treatment possible.

Our qualified paediatric nurses care for children in a child-friendly environment. We have 12 paediatric hospital beds. Our unit has state-of-the-art equipment including an Airvo® respiratory support system, a specialised paediatric treatment bed and a vital signs monitor.

Staying with your child
Some single rooms are available. The ward is open to you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can stay with your child until surgery and be close by during recovery.

Children often want you to stay with them overnight. We can accommodate one support person per child. This person will be provided with a rollout couch.

Putting your child at ease
We encourage children to bring something from home to make them feel more comfortable. We have a dedicated play area equipped with iPads, portable DVD players, game consoles, board games, colouring items and toys.

Your child’s care in St Gabriel’s Unit
A doctor will visit your child each day. The doctors, nurses and allied health providers will answer your questions and talk to you about any concerns you have regarding your child leaving hospital. This will help make the transition home easier.

Baby and Parenting Support Service (BAPSS)
St Vincent’s Private Hospital is offering a multi-disciplinary, specialist inpatient service for families who require support and guidance with building skills and confidence in parenting. Our new service, the Baby and Parenting Support Service (BAPSS), is based on the latest evidence-based approach to attachment parenting.

BAPSS flyer: Click here

More information

Your GP can refer you to one of our paediatric specialists.

Find details of our paediatric specialists here

We provide individualised, high quality care to your child and family.

Our staff are knowledgeable, experienced and happy to talk to you about your child’s hospital journey. No-one knows your child better than you, so we look forward to working together to ensure your child has a positive hospital experience.

We know that a hospital visit can be a stressful time for all families and we encourage you to ask as many questions as you need to.

Information for Parents and Carers

Children recover best with the support of a trusted parent or carer by their side during their hospital stay.
We cater for one parent to stay overnight by the child’s bedside. The resident parent will have a fold out bed and we will provide all meals for that parent.

Parents are encouraged to stay with their child when they come to hospital.

We recommend that any siblings have another adult to care for them on the day of your child’s surgery, as children will not have access to the theatre or the recovery area. There is no overnight accommodation for siblings.

Children 12 months to two years stay as a day case only and five years and older can stay overnight if required.

What We Offer