we are a

General Pediatrics Clinic

focused on

child well-being & development

We are a group that focuses on helping a child function in order to fully achieve their potential. Diagnoses are carefully made not to label but to assist people understand the child’s needs. In an ideal world, we would see all children in this region between ages of 9-24 months at least once.

Many of our referrals come from schools or parents seeking ‘tests’ for a dysregulated child. We ascribe to Dr Sami Timimi (Psychiatry) thesis that ‘tests’ in psychiatry/mental health do not tell you anything about the brains or bodies of those diagnosed. They are largely questionnaires supplemented by impressionable observations.

As such, we will NOT make a diagnosis solely on the basis of a teacher or a parent completing a questionnaire, which we regard as solely screening tools. We want to meet the child and will require time to collect their view and those of their adult caretakers. On occasion, we will simply suggest tincture of time with appropriate supports and not make a diagnosis.

General Pediatrics

Newborns
Feeding concerns
Asthma
Etc.

School Concerns

Academic concerns
Self-regulation concerns

Developmental Pediatrics

Autism Spectrum Disorder assessments
Speech and Language Assessments
Global Delay Assessments

Fees

Our diagnostic services are billed under the Ontario Health Insurance Plan.

Ms Gillespie is a fee-for-service provider. If the team elects to ask for her services, the Just Functional Pediatrics covers her fee for an one-time assessment for diagnostic purposes.

We do not assess a fee for no-shows. We close our referral and return the patient to the referring physician.

Due to the unreasonable demands placed on us by some guardians, we now have a single charge of $125 payable by e-Transfer for all forms. This includes the Federal Disability Tax Credit and other forms.

FAQ's

Frequently Asked Questions

Find quick answers to common questions about our services, appointments, and patient care.

I heard that you are against psychological testing.

We are not against anything that benefits the child. Dr D’Souza feels very strongly that mental health diagnoses do not belong in an educational assessment and are best made by the treating therapist and physician and not someone collating questionnaires.

Why would you not provide a diagnosis to a school team?

Mental Health ‘Diagnoses’ are principally a consensus statement reflecting societal views of the moment. They are neither good nor bad. Are they necessary for the child to get the appropriate assistance and help? The idea that a mental health diagnosis automatically gets your child extra help is a myth. It does not guarantee any extra assistance. Most mental health diagnoses are classified by the school system under Behaviour. We prefer not to label a child as a behavioural concern for the entirety of their education.

When would you provide a diagnosis to a school or a third party?

A diagnosis has one sole purpose: Get the right assistance to help meet the child’s needs. For some supports, such as funds for a child on the Autism Spectrum, the label is necessary and helpful. Similarly, a child with a learning or a language disorder will need a diagnosis to obtain necessary equipment to access the curriculum.

Are you against ADHD?

No, we just believe that it is inaccurately assigned too often. We believe that it is a diagnosis of exclusion, which should be made once all other factors are either treated or appropriately supported.

Why do you not provide ongoing care?

When we provided ongoing care our wait list was between 8-12 months. The majority of the children did not require our services after the first 3-5 visits. Because of our waitlist, we saw children at far later stages than we wished. We want to see the child early and intervene in an appropriate time frame.

Why do you prefer to not order tests, medications or accept patients from tertiary care providers?

The number of community pediatricians is shrinking. A trend that may not be reversible. None of the tests or medications recommended are out of the scope of practice of a community primary care provider.

There is absolutely no purpose in having a Primary Care Provider, a Community Consultant/Specialist and a Community or Hospital-Based Consultant addressing the same issue. ‘Too many cooks...’

Why do you insist on speaking to daycare providers and school teams or allied healthcare professionals involved in the care of the child?

The answer lies in the question. They are all involved in the care of the child and have vital information, which may not even be apparent to them. A complete view of a child requires time and the ability to weigh the unbiased views of all caregivers.