Developmental and Behavioural Concerns

This condition is treated in the Paediatrics clinic.

Pre-referral work-up

History

Assessment and management of children and young people with developmental or behavioural concerns who are less than 18 years of age.

Referral process

Please send referrals to the Royal Hobart Hospital Paediatrics Clinics and patients may be seen in General Paediatrics clinics, outreach clinics.

All referrals should comply with the outpatient information for clinicians page, referral standards and must include the following minimum referral criteria:

• Parental/carer contact name and phone number
• Reasons for concern and expectation of referral
• Previous Investigations and treatments (if any)
• Social situation including Orders or other Services already involved
• Report presence or absence of concerning features
  • Is there definite history of developmental regression, and if so what specific loss of skills has been noted?
• Description of the behaviours of concern
• Nature of parent concerns
• For children attending school a letter from the school outlining behaviours of concern is required, if school-based behaviours are the primary reason for the referral.
• Is physical aggression placing family members (e.g. much younger siblings) at risk of injury? If so, provide details outlining which family members and why they may be at risk of injury. Consider referral to Child Youth Mental Health service as per other useful information

Tests

No specific tests are required for this condition

Interim/GP management

To refer a patient with this condition, please see the Paediatrics clinic page for the full referral process and templates.

Information which may be helpful in triaging the referral:

• Brief comment on current school educational attainments (good, average, poor, very poor (over 2 years behind))
• Information about school attendance, expulsion or suspension.
• Estimated number of days suspended in the previous 3 months.
• Estimated number of days missed because of school refusal.
• Previous medications or therapies used.
• Significant psychosocial risk factors (especially parents' mental health, family violence, housing and financial stress, department of child safety involvement)
• Previous services accessed (other paediatricians, mental health services, allied health services, etc.)
• Family history, including family members affected with ASD, ADHD, learning difficulty or mental illness.
• Copies of previous of speech, occupational therapy, physiotherapy or cognitive assessments if available.
• Audiometry

Consider involvement of Children's Auditory Performance Scale (CHAPS)

For more information please see the HealthPathways Tasmania website.

Availability

North

Launceston General Hospital
Level 3 (Western end of Charles Street Corridor)
Paediatric and Adolescent Outpatient Clinics

Phone: 1300 977 694 (select option 3)
Fax: 03 6777 5242

North West

North West Regional Hospital
Phone: 03 6493 6300
Fax: 03 6464 1928

Mersey Community Hospital
Phone: 1800 636 455 
Fax: 03 6441 5928

South

Royal Hobart Hospital
Level 3, D Block (North) - Paediatric Clinics

Phone: 03 6166 0000
Fax: 03 6173 0469

Outreach Clinics are offered at various locations, but referrals should be sent to the Paediatric Clinic.