Well baby vaccines and clinics?

[jaetee]

What do people do in terms of taking care of newborns re: vaccines and such?

The first year seems to have several vaccinations and such, so what do people usually do in HK? Do people sign up for the Well Baby Clinic Packages at the hospitals or do they just go individually to the pediatrician??

Also since many health insurance policies do not cover Wellness check ups and vaccinations for the first 12 months of membership, does that mean most of baby's vaccines and check ups are usually not covered?

Thanks for any advice.

 

[loupou]

The Govt. has Maternal Child Health Centres in each district for those who do not have health insurance or do not want to pay out of pocket for a private GP or paed. to give check-ups and vaccines.

 

[kashismum]

If you are delivering in a private hospital, as I recall you are, your OB/GYN will assign a pediatrician to your baby as soon as s/he is born - they work as a team - OB/GYN, anesthetist and pediatrician. Ask your dr who they work with; you can assign someone else if you prefer.

The pediatrician will check your baby every day while you're still in the hospital and you can continue to see him/her for all the vaccines. Of course, you are free to see whoever you like.

As for insurance, it will depend on your policy. You'll be able to add your baby as a dependant at birth or after a certain period of time. If you're not covered, consider the Maternal Child Health Centres loupou suggests above. I have no experience there.

 

[rani]

Most insurance packages don't cover vaccinations.

I joined the Well Baby Clinic at the Canossa for the first 6-months. Our Paed was at the clinic 3-4 mornings/week, so she would do a quick consult, make sure baby was ok before they administered the vaccines.

Then we had SARs, and I didn't sign up for the 2nd package from 6 months onwards. I did the MMR and chicken pox shots at our Dr's clinic in Central. Then I got a letter from the Aberdeen Maternal/Child clinic that it was closing and our files were being transffered to another clinic. We still hadn't done the 18-month DTap shot so I decided to give the Gov't clinic a try and made an appt for the following week.

It was a bit odd, they call your name with 4 other babies to get weighed and measured. It was a bit of race, with parents whipping off clothes and diapers in secs to get to the scale 1st. I had a good laugh.

After that we met the Head Nurse who was really nice. She spent a good 15-20 mins chatting w/us and filling out D's developmental reports and gathering his history. She didn't rush us answered all my questions. After which, she gave us the shot, and some Calpol. Overall it was pleasant experience.

 

[tkc]

Well baby Check and Vaccination

Hi!

My family just moved to HK a month ago and our son turned 1. In the US, we had periodic well-baby checks and vaccinations. How does that work here? Are there such development check ups when a baby turns 1. Also, are private doctors better for such or should I go to the clinics? What sort of documentation is required to prove that the baby is a resident of HK and, therefore, eligible for services at clincis?

Also open to recommendations for a Pediatrician (in Kowloon please).

Any advice.

Thanks.

 

[mintycat]

We do our periodic well baby check ups at the Canossa Hospital: 2 weeks, 1 month, 2 months, 3 months, 6 months, 9 months, 12 months, 18 months, 24 months, 36 months. Our package includes the checkups and 2 dental visits, but does not include the cost of vaccinations. You have to pay extra for those. Our pediatrician is Dr. Alfred Tam. When I first had my baby, he said it's better to do it at the Well Baby Clinic at the Hospital rather than at his office since there are sick kids at his office but not at the Well Baby Clinic.

I am pregnant with my second, and have asked Canossa about their latest packages. The package now includes vaccines. There are 2 packages, one for newborn to 18 months and the other is from 2-5 years old.

Our insurance does not cover these well baby check ups so we pay out of our own pockets.