Paediatric Obesity
Emergency referrals
If any of the following are present or suspected, phone 000 to arrange immediate transfer to the emergency department or seek emergent medical advice if in a remote region.
It is proposed that the following conditions should be sent directly to emergency. This is not a list of all conditions that should be sent to the emergency department, it is intended as guidance for presentations that may otherwise have been directed to general paediatric outpatients:
Does your patient wish to be referred?
Minimum referral criteria
Does your patient meet the minimum referral criteria?
Category 1
Appointment within 30 days is desirable
- Hypertensive > 95% for age with appropriate size cuff (BP centile by age and height)
- Type 2 diabetes
- Severe obstruction in sleep with repeated arousals and distress
Category 2
Appointment within 90 days is desirable
- An underlying medical or endocrine cause is suspected, or there are concerns about height and growth velocity.
- Obese children < 6 years
- Other symptomatic obesity including obstructive sleep apnoea, hip or knee pain, high levels of psychological distress about weight
- Signs of insulin resistance
Category 3
Appointment within 365 days is desirable
- Obese children > 6 years
If your patient does not meet the minimum referral criteria
Consider other treatment pathways or an alternative diagnosis.
If you still need to refer your patient:
- Please explain why (e.g. warning signs or symptoms, clinical modifiers, uncertain about diagnosis, etc.)
- Please note that your referral may not be accepted or may be redirected to another service
Other important information for referring practitioners
Not an exhaustive list
- Use BMI charts to monitor growth. Interpretation of BMI values in children and adolescents aged 2–18 years is based on sex-specific BMI percentile charts. Ensure that the same chart is used over time to allow for consistent monitoring of growth.
- Growth of children less than 2 years of age is monitored using World Health Organization (WHO) growth charts. (Australian practice)
- While waist circumference may not have a place in screening for overweight and obesity in children and adolescents, a waist circumference that is greater than half the height suggests a need for more thorough weight assessment.
- Consider involvement of other professionals (e.g. aboriginal health worker, multicultural health worker, interpreter) to facilitate communication
- If you have a reason to suspect a child in Queensland is experiencing harm, or is at risk of experiencing harm, you need to contact Child Safety Services: https://www.communities.qld.gov.au/
- In the majority of cases it is thought inappropriate for children to wait more than 6 months for an outpatient initial appointment
Referral requirements
A referral may be rejected without the following information.
Send referral
Hotline: 1300 364 938
Fax: 1300 364 952
Electronic: eReferral system
Mail: Metro North Central Patient Intake
Aspley Community Centre
776 Zillmere Road
ASPLEY QLD 4034
Health pathways
Access to Health Pathways is free for clinicians in Metro North Brisbane.
For login details email:
healthpathways
Login to Brisbane North Health Pathways:
brisbanenorth.