Your first appointment
Coming to a hospital to find out if your child needs treatment is likely to be a daunting experience for any parent.
Your first craniofacial appointment at the Children's hospital can feel overwhelming if you are not prepared. We recommend bringing toys and games for your child while you wait in our outpatient area for your appointment.
When it's your turn and the door of your clinic opens, there might be as many as ten people waiting to see you.
There are a lot of people because there are many different experts involved in treating the skull and face because it is such an intricate part of the body.
At your first clinic, you might find:
- A plastic surgeon, who deals with the soft tissue like the skin and muscle
- A neurosurgeon, who will have knowledge about the way an operation might affect the brain
- A specialist nurse, who will be able to explain procedures to you
- A speech and language therapist, who understands how a craniofacial condition can affect speech, language and feeding
- A clinical psychologist, who can help you and your child deal with having a distinctive face or difficult behaviours and feelings your child may be experiencing
- A coordinator, who will bring all these different aspects of your care together
They are there because each one has something different to offer you and your child.