St Mary's Hospital

When it comes to care and especially emergency care of children, it has long been believed that a specialist approach is better than the normal one offered to adults. Children are whole different kettle of fish when it comes to ailments and pains which they can't describe as well as an adult might be able to.

By the time the majority of us reach the ages of twenty to thirty we are able to ascertain problems ourselves and better explain the pain or discomfort we are feeling. A child on the other hand doesn't really have this knowledge or ability. Which is why the St. Mary's paediatrics department - the UK's first academic health science centre (AHSC) overseen by the Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, is a leader in its field.

Understanding the needs of both parents and children at a difficult time and providing specially trained staff who are not only good with children, but great. It's vitally important to know that through years of experience, staff can pinpoint problems and effect the right medication to resolve disease or pain wherever possible, as soon as possible.

The St. Mary's paediatrics department has even gone to such lengths as to provide a specialist website aimed at children and their parents. To enable them to see clearly what will happen when they come to hospital and how other children have handled their experience. This is also comforting for the parents.

The range of services available for children at St. Mary's is quite detailed. From allergy services, a bone marrow transplant unit, sickle and thalassaemia service and an infectious diseases service right through to more specific neurology department to better diagnose childhood behaviours and patterns.

Also on hand is a family HIV clinic and for the worst case scenarios a paediatric intensive care unit (PICU) with state of the art hospital equipment with staff ready to perform any required emergency surgeries or operations.

It is important to know however that this world leading paediatrics department is also heavily involved in research too. The paediatric research unit (PRU) is located on the seventh floor of the QEQM building at St Mary's Hospital. It is one of the UK's first and dedicated children's units solely devoted solely to paediatric clinical research.

The services go far beyond any listed above. From a children's sleep service, paediatric audiology, paediatric cancer services, paediatric cardiology, paediatric dentistry, paediatric dermatology diabetes and pretty much paediatric everything. Your child is in good hands.