Who This Service Is For
This consultation is suitable for parents and guardians seeking medical assessment for:
- Babies from birth to their first year, for common health concerns
- Children of all ages with acute or ongoing non-urgent symptoms
- Teenagers who need confidential, age-appropriate medical assessment
- Families new to Portugal or without an assigned family doctor
- Follow-up assessment after a hospital or emergency department visit
This service is not suitable for:
- Medical emergencies — call 112 or go to the nearest emergency department
- Situations requiring a physical examination that cannot be assessed remotely — your doctor advises if in-person assessment is needed
- Complex, chronic, or developmental conditions requiring specialist assessment — see our Paediatric Specialist Consultation
- Routine vaccination — this requires physical attendance
Situations Commonly Assessed
Infections and Acute Illness
- Fever — assessment, management, and safety advice for parents
- Colds, flu, and upper respiratory infections
- Chest infections, bronchitis, and persistent cough
- Ear infections — otitis media and otitis externa
- Throat infections — tonsillitis and strep throat
- Urinary tract infections in children
- Gastroenteritis — vomiting, diarrhoea, and abdominal pain
- Conjunctivitis and eye infections
- Hand, foot and mouth disease
- Chickenpox — assessment and management advice
- COVID-19 symptoms in children
Common Skin Conditions
- Mild rashes — assessment and identification
- Eczema — flare-up assessment and management advice
- Mild allergic skin reactions and hives
- Nappy rash and skin issues in infants
- Impetigo and mild skin infections
- Molluscum contagiosum
Mild Respiratory and Allergic Conditions
- Mild asthma symptoms — initial assessment
- Allergic rhinitis — seasonal and perennial allergies
- Recurrent respiratory infections — initial assessment
Growth and Nutrition — Initial Assessment
- Concerns about growth and weight — initial assessment
- Mild feeding difficulties in babies and young children
- General nutritional advice
Adolescent Health — Common Issues
- Mild acne in teenagers
- General health questions in teenagers
- Mild sports injuries
General Paediatric Questions
- Safety advice for worried parents — when to seek further help
- Medical certificates for school absence
- General travel health advice for children
- Referral for blood tests, imaging, or specialist paediatric assessment when indicated
For chronic conditions, developmental difficulties, or complex presentations, our Paediatric Specialist Consultation provides consultant-level assessment.
What Your Consultation Includes
Clinical Assessment. Your doctor carries out an assessment of your child's symptoms, relevant medical history, and current health status — with you present as parent or guardian throughout the consultation.
Clear Explanation of Findings. We know receiving medical information about your child can be stressful. Your doctor explains the findings in accessible language and answers your questions with care.
Clinical Management Plan. Based on the assessment, your doctor advises on appropriate management — including guidance for home care, safety advice, referral for tests, or referral to specialist paediatrics when the presentation falls outside the scope of primary care. Any clinical recommendations are made at the doctor's professional discretion.
Safety Advice. Every paediatric consultation includes clear safety advice — specific guidance on what to watch for, when to seek further care, and what would indicate your child needs emergency assessment. This is standard clinical practice and something we take seriously.
Referral, When Necessary. When your child's presentation falls outside the scope of primary care — including complex, chronic, or developmental conditions — your doctor advises on referral to our Paediatric Specialist Consultation or another appropriate service.
A Note on Consent and Confidentiality
Paediatric consultations involve a minor. All consultations for patients under 16 require a parent or guardian to be present throughout the video call, and their consent for the consultation and any clinical recommendations.
For adolescent patients aged 16 and over, the doctor assesses capacity to consent on a case-by-case basis, in line with Portuguese medical and legal standards.
All clinical information — from both the child and the parent or guardian — is protected under strict data protection standards.
When to Seek Emergency Care
This is the most important section on this page.
Call 112 or go to the nearest emergency department immediately if your child has:
- Difficulty breathing or very rapid breathing
- A high fever in a baby under 3 months old — any fever in this age group is a medical emergency
- A rash that does not fade when pressed with a glass tumbler — this can indicate meningitis
- A severe allergic reaction — swelling of the face, lips, or throat, or difficulty swallowing
- Seizures
- Loss of consciousness or unresponsiveness
- Severe abdominal pain
- Signs of dehydration — no wet nappies for 8 or more hours, a sunken fontanelle, dry mouth, no tears when crying
- Any symptom that is rapidly worsening and causing serious concern
If in doubt, always err on the side of caution and seek emergency care.
Our service is for non-urgent paediatric concerns at primary-care level. Your child's safety is always the priority.
Why Choose Our Care
Same-day access. When your child is unwell, waiting days for an appointment isn't acceptable. Same-day appointments available so your child is seen when you really need it.
Doctors registered with the Portuguese Medical Association. All paediatric consultations are carried out by doctors registered with the Portuguese Medical Association, at standard primary-care clinical level.
You stay in control. You are present throughout the consultation. You ask the questions, hear the answers, and make decisions for your child — with clinical guidance from the doctor.
Clear explanations, no jargon. We know medical information about your child can cause anxiety. Our doctors explain findings clearly, answer your questions with care, and ensure you leave the consultation understanding exactly what's going on and what to do next.
Clear pathway to specialist care. If your child's situation requires more than primary-care assessment, your doctor refers you clearly to our Paediatric Specialist Consultation, without losing time navigating the system alone.
Focus on international and expat families. Many of our paediatric patients are children of international and expat families in Portugal, without an assigned family doctor. We provide accessible, quality primary care for children, regardless of NHS (SNS) registration status.
Multilingual. Consultations available in Portuguese, English, Spanish, Czech, and Romanian — removing the language barrier many international families face when seeking medical care for their children in Portugal.
