Paediatrics

The paediatric team cares for children and adolescents at Joan Kirner Women’s and Children’s, at Sunshine Hospital. The service runs general and fracture clinics, combined consultant clinics for complex cases, and themed clinics for conditions such as hip dysplasia surveillance. Advanced practice physiotherapists manage conditions including developmental dysplasia of the hip and clubfoot, working with the surgeons and orthotists.

Our Surgeons

Current Research

  • VicHip, a statewide registry for developmental dysplasia of the hip. Western Health was one of four founding sites in 2024, with the Royal Children’s Hospital, Monash Children’s Hospital and Barwon Health.
  • HOPE, a La Trobe University-led randomised trial comparing periacetabular osteotomy plus co-designed rehabilitation with rehabilitation alone in adolescents and young adults with hip dysplasia. Western Health is being established as a site.
  • Paediatric elbow surgery, including subcapital realignment for displaced radial head fractures and arthrography after open elbow arthrotomy, led by Dr Daniel Epstein.

Past Research

Earlier work found a high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in children and adolescents presenting with acute fractures.

Selected Publications

Recent and earlier papers with members of the team among the authors.

  1. Epstein DJ, Balakumar J, Rutz E, Wang KK. Subcapital Realignment of the Displaced Pediatric Radial Head-Technical Description and Early Clinical Results. Children (Basel). 2026;13(8):1026. doi:10.3390/children13081026
  2. Epstein DJ, Wang KK. How to Do an Arthrogram Following Open Arthrotomy of the Paediatric Elbow-Indications and Technique. ANZ J Surg. 2026. Epub ahead of print. doi:10.1111/ans.70956
  3. Kwon DH, Krieser D, Harris C, Khot A, Ebeling PR, Rodda CP. High prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in 2-17 year olds presenting with acute fractures in southern Australia. Bone Rep. 2016;5:153-157. doi:10.1016/j.bonr.2016.05.007

See all of the Department’s subspecialty teams, or read more about the Department’s research.

Western Health Orthopaedic Department

Orthopaedic care for Melbourne’s west at Footscray, Sunshine, Williamstown and Joan Kirner hospitals.

In an emergency, call 000 or go to your nearest Emergency Department.

Contact

Useful links

We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the lands and waterways on which we work, the Wurundjeri Woi-Wurrung, Boon Wurrung, Bunurong and Wadawurrung peoples of the greater Kulin Nation, and pay our deep respects to Elders past and present.

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