What to expect:
1. Referral is received
We are consulting pediatricians, meaning that we require a referral, and do not take on patients as primary care providers.
Once our referral form is received, it will be triaged by a pediatrician, according to urgency. If there is a major change in condition, please make your primary care provider aware, so they can update the referral.
​
We work as a team - your child will generally see the first available pediatrician.
​
As of September 2024:
-
Medical consult wait time: 2-4 months
-
Mental health/developmental consult wait time: Unfortunately given extensive wait times we are currently closed to psychiatric/developmental consultations
2. Behaviour concern referrals
For school-aged children, we must receive feedback from the school before referral will be accepted. This questionnaire from the Canadian Pediatric Society is a helpful template to consider.
​
If there is a question of ADHD,
-
the referring doctor/NP must forward SNAP-IV scores from both home and school before referral will be accepted.
-
It is highly recommended parents complete the Rolling with ADHD modules prior to ADHD assessments.
3. Confirming your appointment
Our office will contact you by phone to arrange your initial appointment. This must be re-confirmed via the Ocean secure messaging platform 2-7 business days prior to your appointment. If not re-confirmed, the appointment is subject to being cancelled.
4. Intake questionnaires
Before your appointment, you will receive a patient agreement, intake questionnaire, and possibly additional psychometric tools to complete (via the Ocean platform). These must be completed prior to your appointment.
5. Appointment
day
​Please bring the following: ​
-
Your child's MSP card (or have their PHN)
-
Prescriptions/medication bottles/inhalers to verify dosing
-
Appointments can be stressful! Bring any toys/items that may make your child feel more comfortable
-
A written diary of symptoms, and things that happened before and after, can be helpful to see patterns
-
Loose fitting clothes without layers help make physical exams easier
-
Let your doctor know if you'd like to speak with them privately
6. After your appointment
​We'll make a plan together. The following resources may help:
-
If you have run out of medication, please first call your pharmacy to see whether re-fills are available
-
If you were asked to complete bloodwork at VGH, the lab is open M-F 7:00-5:00. You can book an appointment here:
​
​
-
To join waitlist for VGH lab, text JOIN + your first and last name to
1-833-215-6446
-
If you were asked to complete an x-ray at VGH, they are open 8:00-4:00 M-F; no appointment is necessary. For all other imaging (ultrasound, CT, MRI), medical imaging will contact you directly to schedule
-
See our Resources tab for further supports in the community