Dandenong General Paediatrics
Dandenong General Paediatrics
The General Paediatric Department is a core department within the Monash Children’s Hospital. We look after children from the newborn period to 18 years of age with acute and chronic medical problems as inpatients and outpatients.
Phone: (03) 9554 1000
Contact a patient
Phone: (03) 9554 8326
About us
Dandenong Hospital has a dedicated Monash Children’s Hospital Ward and Level 2 Special Care Nursery staffed by doctors in training and experienced nursing staff.
There are four consultant paediatricians caring for babies and children admitted to these wards. Most patients are admitted from the emergency department or birth unit at Dandenong but others are referred from other hospitals.
If any patients require ongoing follow up, they will be referred either to one of the consultant paediatricians at the general paediatric outpatients clinic in Dandenong Hospital, or to their usual paediatrician’s private consulting rooms.
Other paediatric outpatients seen at Dandenong are those in the refugee health clinic, the orthopaedics clinic or the plastic surgery clinic.
There is also a Special Care Nursery located on the same floor as the Children’s ward and Maternity/birthing areas.
Referrals
Secure eReferral by HealthLink is now our preferred method of referral.
Find up-to-date information about how to send a referral to Monash Health Specialist Consulting Clinics on the eReferrals page on our website.
Phone: (03) 8572 3004
For referral guidelines see Monash Children’s General Paediatrics Referral Guidelines.
Head of Unit: Dr Catherine McAdam
Meet our team
Dr Melanie Pillay, Consultant Paediatrician
Dr Melanie Pillay has more than 20 years of experience across the full spectrum of general paediatrics, ranging from neonatal medicine, caring for unsettled babies and the extremely sick child, to adolescent health and well-being.
Her past appointments include consultant roles in general and subspecialist paediatric medicine, honorary lectureship at the Nelson Mandela School of Medicine and volunteer outreach service in the Red Cross Flying doctors programme. She holds fellowship of both the College of Paediatricians of South Africa and the Royal Australasian College of Physicians.
Before taking up her role as Unit Head of Paediatrics at Dandenong Hospital, Dr Pillay worked in regional Victoria as a general paediatric consultant. Melanie is easily approachable and is always happy to provide advice and share her experience. She is a strong advocate of early intervention medicine and clinical research.
Dr Lee Chyi Lam, General Paediatrician
Dr Lee Chyi Lam is a general paediatrician at Dandenong Hospital. She trained in Melbourne and completed her paediatric training in 2008, following which she joined Monash Children’s Hospital as a paediatric consultant.
Lee Chyi has strong interest in preventative medicine having graduated with a Master of Public Health from the University of Melbourne in 2011. She is passionate about the education of junior medical staff and co-ordinates the teaching program for paediatric junior staff at Dandenong Hospital.
She firmly believes that an important role of paediatric doctors is to empower parents and carers to provide maximal care to their children.
Dr Janaka Tennakoon, Consultant Paediatrician
As a dedicated Consultant Paediatrician at Monash Health, Janaka specialises in General, Developmental and Neonatology. With a rich educational background, Janaka graduated in Sri Lanka and after migrating to Australia in 2005, Janaka has been committed to providing exceptional care to children in various stages of growth and development.
In addition to Janaka’s medical expertise, he is a qualified Dog trainer, a passion he pursues as a hobby. This unique interest has honed his patience and understanding-qualities that are integral in his medical practice. Janaka is devoted to nurturing the wellbeing of children, guiding them towards a health and thriving future.
Qualifications: MBBS DCH MD (Paediatrics) FRACP MHA
Dr Peter Forrest, Consultant Paediatrician
Dr Peter Forrest is a consultant paediatrician at Dandenong Hospital. Peter trained as a general paediatrician at the Royal Children’s Hospital, Melbourne, Myrtle St in Manchester, UK, the Royal Alexandra Hospital, Sydney, and started in General Paediatric practice in Warrnambool, before re-locating to Dandenong.
His current practice is a mix of both acute Inpatient paediatrics at Dandenong Hospital and Eastern Health, and a referral-based community practice including acute paediatric medical problems, and Behavioural and developmental paediatrics.
He has recently spent time working at Lao Friend’s Hospital for Children (LFHC) in Luang Prabang in Laos on Sabbatical Leave and is returning there this year in a voluntary capacity. He has worked in East Timor in the past. He has strong interest in neonates having spent several years in paediatric cardiology during training; and assists with the Echocardiograms at LFHC, as well as clinical work, education and supervision of Junior Paediatric Staff.
Peter has an active involvement in Medical Education at Monash Health. He assisted with the commencement of the Annual Paediatric Update at Monash Children’s Hospital and helped co-ordinate it for the first 10 years. He now co-ordinates the weekly Journal Club for Dandenong and Casey Paediatricians, Registrars and HMO’s including organisation of Visiting Speakers and local Presenters.
He is a Clinical Tutor at Monash University with an involvement in Monash Medical student teaching.
He regularly Supervises Paediatric Registrars at DH both Local and OTC, and has been an examiner for many Paediatric FRACP examinations. His Audit portfolio at Dandenong Hospital includes monthly Low Apgar Reports and he co-ordinates the minutes of the Morbidity and Mortality meetings.
Dr Yu Hong (Helen) Wu, General Paediatrician
Dr Yu Hong Wu, also known as Helen is a general paediatrician. She has been a consultant at Dandenong Hospital since August 2010 and is dedicated to striving for excellence.
She has developed skills and a special interest in indigenous health after working in Central Australia for nine months, and has been providing an outreach paediatric clinic fortnightly at Bunurong Health Services in Dandenong for five years.
She is also interested in public health and hopes to carry out some research work in the area once she finishes her Master of Epidemiology at Melbourne University in the near future.
