Child orthopaedics
We care for children and young people with bone, muscle, and joint problems.
About orthopaedics
About child orthopaedics
Our Paediatric Orthopaedic Service provides specialist care for children and adolescents aged 0 to 16 years with a wide range of bone, joint, and muscle conditions.
We assess and treat all general orthopaedic concerns in children, with particular expertise in developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH), congenital talipes equinovarus (CTEV), and cerebral palsy-related orthopaedic conditions.
Our team is led by Staff Specialists Professor Eric Ho and Dr Sandeep Tewari, alongside an Orthopaedic Registrar and Paediatric Orthopaedic Clinical Nurse Consultant Andrew Cootes.
We work closely with a dedicated team of paediatric physiotherapists and occupational therapists, ensuring a collaborative and child-focused approach to care.
Together, we aim to provide timely, evidence-based treatment that supports each child’s comfort, mobility, and quality of life.
Key eligibility criteria or referral pathways
Referrals to this service are triaged by a clinician, and appointments allocated with the most appropriate specialist in order of clinical priority.
For referral and appointment enquiries, call John Hunter Hospital Outpatient Contact Centre on (02) 4922 3912.
Preparing your child for surgery
Parents can help prepare their child for surgery and ease the process for them. You can:
- Explain the procedure - use simple age-appropriate language to explain what will happen. Books or videos designed for children about hospital visits can be helpful. Find more information in our Patients, carers and visitors' hub.
- Visit the hospital before surgery - arrange for a visit to the hospital before your child's surgery. This can help them get to know the environment, meet some of the staff and be more comfortable.
- Role-play - encourage role-play with toys to help your child understand the process, it can help make the experience less scary.
- Be positive - be calm and positive, your child will take cues from your emotions.
- Comfort items - let your child bring a favourite toy, blanket or item to the hospital for comfort.
- Follow pre-surgery instructions - guide your child to follow any pre-surgery instructions (like fasting) to avoid complications.
What happens before and after surgery
Before surgery
- Follow all the required pre-surgery instructions before arriving at the hospital.
- Parents bring their children for surgery to Ward J2 (Day stay) at John Hunter Children's Hospital.
- The nursing team will meet and prepare your child for surgery, including being admitted, weighed and given medications, as needed.
- The surgical team will meet with you and your child to:
- check that consent has been recorded and received.
- check that the surgical site is marked, as needed.
- answer any questions you may have.
- The anaesthetic team will make sure your child is ready for the anaesthetic and talk about recovery from the anaesthetic and pain relief.
- One parent is allowed to be with the child in the anaesthetic room while being anaesthetised.
- You will be shown where to wait outside the operating theatre. The surgical team will meet you here after completing the surgery.
Note: To reduce the risk of infection, we will ask all parents and visitors to wash and sanitise their hands every time they enter the wards.
After surgery
- Your child will be taken to the recovery ward. One parent can join before going back to the day stay ward (J2), or if staying overnight, in ward J1 or J2.
- Once recovery is complete, your nurse will discharge your child with the required post-surgery information, including:
- incision (surgical cut) care
- pain relief
- medications
- follow-up appointments.