Specialty Clinics
Accessing specialized services can be required to ensure that a child or youth's needs are appropriately addressed. We understand that having to travel for specialist appointments can be difficult for families. We also understand the value of having your child or youth's entire team together to formulate an effective treatment plan.
The John McGivney Children's Centre (JMCC) is pleased to offer several specialty medical clinics through local, regional and provincial partnerships. We have a number of visiting paediatric specialists that hold clinics at JMCC throughout the year. These clinics offer families and JMCC team members the opportunity to coordinate treatment plans together thereby providing a more seamless service to families.
Feeding Intake
Eligibility and Referral Process: Children and youth under the age of 19, and young people between the ages of 19 and 21 who remain in school and reside in Windsor and Essex County. Families may be referred with any feeding concerns including choking/swallowing concerns, texture aversions, and difficulty transitioning onto solids, limited accepted foods, and difficulty engaging in mealtime routines. Children who have other physical or developmental concerns in addition to feeding should go through our normal intake process. Children already receiving JMCC Occupational Therapy or Speech Language Pathology services would have these needs met by their primary clinicians and this program can support those clinicians as needed and there is the potential for a feeding intake to still occur, together with the primary clinician. From this intake, the appropriate feeding care path is determined and recommended to the family - this may include Occupational Therapy services or referrals to feeding groups or other community partners).
What to Expect: An Occupational Therapist and a Speech Language Pathologist will observe eating. Families are asked to bring a variety of accepted and challenging foods to intake visit. Then, the clinicians will collect more information about feeding history and concerns. They will provide recommendations of next steps. Families will receive a written report with recommendations after the feeding intake visit.
Orthopaedic Clinic:
Eligibility: For children and youth who require a musculoskeletal (bone, joint and muscle) assessment by a paediatric orthopaedic surgeon.
Referral Process: A medical referral is required. Referrals must be sent to JMCC. For children and youth not receiving services through JMCC, a screening assessment with one of our physiotherapists is required.
What to Expect:
- If you are not currently receiving services from JMCC, we will arrange for you to come in for a screening assessment to determine eligibility for the orthopaedic clinic at JMCC (i.e. Do you require orthopaedic consultation regarding surgery and/or Botox injections or does your condition require monitoring by the orthopaedic surgeon). This appointment should be about one hour.
- If you are receiving services through JMCC, you, your family and your therapy team will discuss the need for a referral.
- Once it has been determined that an orthopaedic consultation at JMCC will meet the individual's needs, you will be contacted with an appointment date and time. Wait times for an appointment vary and could take up to several months. Children and youth requiring an urgent orthopaedic assessment should have their referral sent directly to LHSC.
Rheumatology Clinic
Eligibility: For children and youth with a rheumatology condition who require assessment/supports from a paediatric rheumatologists.
Referral Process: A medical referral is required. Referrals must be sent by to Paediatric Rheumatology at London Health Sciences Centre Fax: 519-685-8156.
What to Expect: Clinicians from LHSC Children's Hospital
which include paediatric rheumatologists, nurses, physiotherapists or occupational therapists will assess your child at JMCC and provide a treatment plan and appropriate follow-up. If you're a new patient to paediatric rheumatology or need to be seen more frequently you may be required to come to London. Your appointment will be approximately 30 minutes but could be longer depending on wait times and treatment plan. This clinic runs approximately once a month.
Transition Clinic
Eligibility: The Clinic is offered to youth ages 18-21 years currently receiving services from JMCC.
Referral Process: To request an appointment, contact your child's therapist.
What to Expect: Our Transition Clinic offers an opportunity for families to meet as a team with their child's therapists to plan for the continuation of therapy and other services offered in the adult sector. The Clinic is led by a physician from the community to ensure medical needs are identified and suggestions for medical follow-up are relayed to the individual's family physician. Information is provided on available community resources for leisure activities, respite, housing and financial support.
The Ontario Cleft Lip and Palate/Craniofacial Dental Program
One in every 700 infants in Ontario is born with a cleft of the lip and/or palate or other craniofacial difference. These conditions can be corrected through surgery, specialized dental treatment and speech therapy.
To assist families of children and young adults who must cope with the expense of specialized dental treatment, the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care provides funding for The Ontario Cleft Lip and Palate/Craniofacial Dental Program, managed by the Provincial Council for Maternal and Child Health. This program provides financial assistance for the specialized dental needs of affected individuals.
Please visit the
Provincial Council for Maternal and Child Health website to learn more about the Ontario Cleft Lip and Palate/Craniofacial Dental Program.
Velopharyngeal-Inadequacy (VPI) Clinic
The Velopharyngeal-Inadequacy (VPI) Clinic provides assessment and treatment for individuals with resonance disorders. Resonance disorders include hypernasality, hyponasality, and mixed nasality. Services are provided by a Speech-Language Pathologist who may refer to community specialists (plastic surgeon, ENT, audiologist, genetics).
Eligibility/Referral Criteria: A referral may be initiated by a Speech-Language Pathologist.
Funding: The VPI Clinic is funded through the Cleft Lip and Palate/Craniofacial-Dental Program, which is a program through the Ministry of Health.
