Pediatrics Team A & Infectious Diseases
Pediatrics Team B and Gastroenterology
Pediatrics Team C and Endocrinology
Neonatal ICU / SCBU
Pediatric ICU & High Dependency Unit
Pediatric Cardiology
Pediatric Nephrology
Pediatric Neurology
Pediatric Rheumatology
Genetics
The Child Health Division focuses on tertiary care subspecialty services. It is affiliated to the SQU College of Medicine. In addition, the Division is involved in post-graduate training of residents taking the MRCPCH (UK) and DCH (Glasgow) exams. Broadly, the following are the subdivisions of Child Health:
The Neonatal ICU is equipped with the latest generation of neonatal ventilators and high tech gadgets, portable bedside 2D-echo machine with color doppler, and a portable ultrasound machine.
The Pediatric ICU has modern gadgets and ventilators. It deals with all types of life-threatening emergencies, and caters to the following conditions: high frequency ventilation, post-surgery intensive care, some post cardiac-surgery conditions, patients on dialysis, etc.
Pediatric Cardiology: In addition to 2D-echo and cardiac catheterization, the unit does highly skilled interventional procedures such as pace-maker insertion, coil and umbrella closure of PDA, ASD device closure, Rashkind balloon septostomy, balloon valvotomy, pulmonary artery embolization, etc.
Pediatric Pulmonology deals with an overwhelming number of complex and chronic pediatric respiratory conditions. The services include flexible fiberoptic bronchoscopy in neonates and children, broncho alveolar lavage, intrapleural streptokinase for para pneumonic pleural effusion, non-invasive ventilatory support (e.g. BIPAP ventilation), domiciliary oxygen therapy and home monitoring with pulse oximetry.
Pediatric Gastroenterolgy & Nutrition services include upper GI endoscopy, colonoscopy, esophageal pH monitoring, and specialized interventional procedures. The unit is actively involved in tackling malnutrition at the national level.
Since Oman has a plethora of complex and chronic Pediatric Nephrology problems, this busy subspecialty is the referral centre for children with chronic renal failure requiring hemodialysis or chronic ambulatory peritoneal dialysis. The unit also looks after post renal transplant patients.
The Pediatric Infectious Disease unit is actively involved in promoting infection control policies of the hospital. It provides consultation for patients with complex infections in PICU, NICU, pediatric oncology, post- transplant and other immune compromised states, and device infection (e.g. VP shunt, port-a-cath, line-sepsis etc. The unit is the focal point in the country for the management of children with retroviral infection.
The Pediatric Hematology Oncology Unit offers services to cancer patients on par with international standards prevalent in well-developed countries.
The other subspecialties include Pediatric Endocrinology, Pediatric Neurology, Pediatric Rheumatology, and Dysmorphology, with facilities to do Fluorescent In-Situ Hybridization (FISH).
The Training and Educational activities of the department include CPR mock-drills weekly, national Child Health update workshops 3-4 times a year, pediatric advance life support (PALS) provider and neonatal resuscitation programs 3-4 times / year, participation in organizing international conferences, grand rounds, radiology sessions, journal club, mortality meetings, CME presentation by Intern doctors, residents doctors classes, clinical audit committee meetings, and case-conferences on interesting clinical problems. The department is a centre recognized for MRCPCH (U.K.), both written as well as clinical, and for the DCH (Glasgow) Examinations.
