Dr. Anika Johnston is a consultant General Paediatrician with a special interest in developmental paediatrics. She enjoys caring for children and young people across a wide range of paediatric presentations and is committed to working closely with families to provide holistic, child-centred care. Dr Anika Johnston completed her Bachelor of Medical Studies and Doctor of Medicine at the University of New South Wales, followed by a Diploma of Paediatrics at the University of Sydney. She has over 10 years of experience in general paediatrics through the Sydney Children’s Hospital Network, including work in a tertiary developmental service (Child Development Service at Royal North Shore Hospital), where she gained extensive experience in assessing and managing developmental and behavioural concerns in children. She completed her fellowship at Northern Beaches Hospital, further broadening her expertise across neonatal and paediatric services. Anika is a Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians (Paediatric and Child Health Division). As a mother of three young children, Dr Anika Johnston understands the challenges of parenting and is passionate about supporting families in their child’s developmental journey.

Dr Jaimie Aslanidis is a General Paediatrician who enjoys caring for all paediatric patients – from newborns to infants, to childhood and onto adolescence. Her philosophy is to provide family-centric, evidence-based, holistic care to children and their families. She finds it a privilege to work closely with families and young people as they grow and develop into young adults. Her pleasure is to help children achieve their full potential by optimising their overall health and wellbeing. Dr Jaimie is currently a Consultant General Paediatrician and is a Visiting Medical Officer at The Children’s Hospital at Westmead. She is a Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians and a member of the Australian Society of Developmental Paediatrics (ASDP). Dr Jaimie completed her Bachelor of Medicine / Bachelor of Surgery at James Cook University specialising in tropical and rural medicine. She completed a Diploma in Child Health through The University of Sydney. She undertook her paediatric training through Sydney Children’s Hospital Network and has worked at both The Children’s Hospital at Westmead and Sydney Children’s Hospital in general medicine. She undertook advanced training in genetic and metabolic medicine at The Children’s Hospital at Westmead and completed the Harvard University coursework in genetics. She finished her general paediatric fellowship at Royal North Shore Hospital where she also worked in paediatric emergency medicine and the neonatal intensive care unit during her general paediatric training. Her special interest areas include care of newborns and their families, premature infant growth and development, constipation, asthma, eczema, child development and complex medical care needs with a particular interest in genetics and metabolic medicine.

Dr. Jane Son is the principal Developmental Paediatrician at Sydney Child Development Specialists and was formerly the Clinical Lead for a Child & Family Health Service within the Northern Sydney Local Health District. With extensive expertise in establishing and leading multidisciplinary teams, Dr. Jane Son has a passion for delivering integrated care in both private and public health settings. Since 2006, she has worked in various private paediatric clinics and tertiary developmental assessment services, including the Child Development Service at Royal North Shore Hospital and the Kogarah Developmental Disability Health Service at St. George Hospital. Dr. Jane holds dual qualifications in Community Child Health, the sub-specialty for Developmental Paediatrics, and General Paediatrics. She is an accredited administrator for the Griffiths III Developmental Scales, ADI-R, and ADOS-2, which are helpful tools for conducting comprehensive developmental assessments. She is a Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians and a member of the Australasian Society for Developmental Paediatrics (ASDP), Australian ADHD Professionals Association (AADPA) and the Society of Developmental and Behavioural Pediatrics (SDBP-USA). Dr. Jane completed her paediatric training through the Sydney Children’s Hospital Network. She earned her medical degree and a Diploma of Paediatrics from the University of New South Wales and furthered her expertise with a Master of International Public Health from the University of Sydney.

Jessica is a General Paediatrician with a strong interest in supporting children and families with diverse health needs. She completed degrees in Pharmacy and Medicine at the University of Sydney and trained in Paediatrics through the Sydney Children’s Hospital Network, including at Sydney Children’s Hospital at Randwick. Jessica is a General Paediatrician with a strong interest in supporting children and families with diverse health needs. She completed degrees in Pharmacy and Medicine at the University of Sydney and trained in Paediatrics through the Sydney Children’s Hospital Network, including at Sydney Children’s Hospital at Randwick. As a parent, Jessica also brings a personal understanding of the joys and challenges of raising children. She is committed to viewing each child as an individual within the context of their family and environment, and takes a thoughtful, wholistic, and collaborative approach to care, with the goal of helping children and their families thrive.

Dr. Keziah Hearne is a Consultant Paediatrician at Sydney Child Development Specialists. Keziah has over 10 years experience working in Paediatrics in NSW and is dedicated to providing a high standard of care for her patients and their families. Keziah completed her medical degree at Cardiff University, Wales in 2008. She moved to Australia in 2010 and joined Sydney Children’s Hospital Network, where she has worked in neonatology and paediatrics at both tertiary and metropolitan hospitals across NSW. She has experience in Developmental Paediatrics, having worked at Kogarah Developmental Disability Health Service (St George Hospital). Keziah is a Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians, Paediatric and Child Health Division and also a member of the Australasian Society for Developmental Paediatrics (ASDP).

Dr Robert Leitner is a Consultant in Developmental and Behavioural Paediatrics and a caring and compassionate doctor. He is the former Director of the Kogarah Developmental Assessment Service, the Metro-Regional Intellectual Disability Network and the Angelman Syndrome Clinic. Dr Leitner has extensive experience working in multidisciplinary diagnostic and assessment clinics for children with developmental disabilities and autism spectrum disorders and other neurodevelopmental disabilities. He is a recognised expert in developing child and family-centred integrated models of care in collaboration with their local communities. Dr Leitner is a Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians (RACP) and member of the Australasian Society for Developmental Paediatrics (ASDP). He undertook his medical degree at the University of Sydney and completed his paediatric training at the Royal Alexandra Hospital for Children (now Westmead Childrens Hospital).

Dr Suzy Byrnes is a Developmental Paediatrician who is passionate about supporting children to achieve their best potential. This is accomplished through a comprehensive, empathic and strengths based model of care that respects the wellbeing of the complete family unit. Dr Byrnes has special interests in Developmental Delay, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and holds expertise in the diagnostic assessment of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Disorder. Dr Byrnes graduated from the University of Newcastle with Honours and the University Medal and has over 15 years of paediatric experience through the Sydney Children Hospital Network – Westmead. She is a Fellow of the Royal Australian College of Physicians and a member of the Australasian Society for Developmental Paediatrics (ASDP) and the Australian ADHD Professionals Association (AADPA). Suzy has Diploma in Child Health and Masters in Nutrition and Dietetics. She is an experienced medical educator and currently holds an Honorary Research position in FASD Diagnostic Service at The Children’s Hospital at Westmead.

Dr Themis Michael is a Consultant Paediatrician with extensive experience in both General and Developmental Paediatrics. He is committed to supporting children, young people and their families to achieve their best possible medical and developmental outcomes. Dr Michael has worked in private paediatric clinics both in Australia and abroad. He has also worked in tertiary developmental assessment services, including the Child Development Service (Royal North Shore Hospital). He is an accredited administrator for Griffiths III Developmental Scale. Dr Michael is a Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians and a member of the Australasian Society for Developmental Paediatrics (ASDP) and The Australian ADHD Professionals Association (AADPA).

Liz Douglas is a Senior Speech Pathologist with over 20 years of experience. Her area of focus is to help neurodiverse children, particularly those with Autism, Developmental Delay & Intellectual Disability to develop their speech, language, and social communication. Liz has worked in various settings, including being a team leader at a tertiary-level multidisciplinary developmental assessment unit. Liz has also worked in preschools, Early Intervention organisations as well as private practice. Liz has an Honours degree in Speech Pathology & Audiology, as well as a Bachelor’s degree in Linguistics and Psychology. She is a Certified Practising Member of Speech Pathology Australia and has been involved with the supervision of Speech Pathology students throughout her career. Liz is accredited to train the Hanen More Than Words program, and has participated in a wide range of Professional Development courses that inform her practice, including DIR-Floortime and PROMPT.

Liz is a Clinical Psychologist with over 25 years of experience working with pre-school children and their families. She is fully registered with AHPRA and holds a Bachelor of Science (Honours in Psychology) and a Master of Clinical Psychology. Liz has worked in both public and private paediatric settings and specialises in assessing, diagnosing, and managing developmental and behavioural difficulties in children under six. Her expertise includes autism, intellectual disability, ADHD, language and social disorders, and behavioural challenges. She conducts play-based, developmental, IQ, and functional assessments and provides comprehensive feedback, early intervention planning, school placement advice, and behavioural consultation. Liz is a member of the Australian Psychological Society (APS) and the College of Clinical Psychologists. For further information, please refer to: https://sydneychilddevelopmentspecialists.com.au/