I'm pleased to say that most patients only need to have one or two appointments with me, before we are able to get to the bottom of the issue and begin a treatment programme.

During the initial consultation I will take a detailed history, to understand how long the issues have been going on and whether there is any relevant family history of similar issues. I will also examine your child.

Wherever possible I will talk directly to your child and listen to their own thoughts and feelings about their condition.

At the end of the initial consultation we will either have determined what further investigations are required, or, hopefully, have determined a treatment plan, which could include dietary changes or medications as appropriate to the diagnosis.

The initial appointment will usually last around 30 minutes.

If you have private healthcare insurance, please check with your insurer whether a GP referral letter is required. We would recommend you have this before you attend your first appointment. I'm registered with all of the main private healthcare insurance providers.

However, please note that ultimate responsibility for payment rests with you. Should any insurance claim be denied, you will be required to pay any outstanding balance.

For patients who are self-funding a GP referral letter is not essential but is recommended in case repeat prescriptions or a transfer of care to the NHS needs to take place at a later date.

My consultation costs for insured patients are in line with insurance company policy (so please check with your insurance company first) and for self-funding patients are:

• Standard 30 minute first consultation: £200
• Follow-up consultation(s): £150

Late cancellations (less than 24hrs notice) or non-attendance of a booked appointment will incur a £75 charge.

PLEASE NOTE: My professional consultation fee does not include tests, x-rays, scans, prescriptions or vaccines, the cost of which will need to be settled directly with the hospital or pharmacy. A prolonged or complex consultation which necessitates additional work may incur an extra charge.

There is increasing evidence that gut bacteria play a role in a lot of diseases in children and adults. Gut microbes and the fatty acids they produce can regulate gene expression by influencing the 3D shape of their hosts' DNA. Intestinal bacteria are known to affect several aspects of host health. However, there needs to be careful use of pre or probiotics, so these will be discussed with you in detail at a clinic appointment if recommended as part of your child's treatment programme.

For more information take a look at the following resources:

Probiotics in children: what's the evidence? - Article in Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition.

The Probiotics Factsheet from the British Dietetic Association (BDA)

Or watch the following video:

There are a number of resources I can recommend to help you explain any diagnosis to your child, or to help explain what will happen if they need any investigations.

The Children's Hospital and Medical College of Wisconsin have produced a particularly helpful series of animated videos for children, which help to explain a number of conditions and procedures in a child-friendly way. Some of these videos are linked from the relevant sections of this website, or you can find them all on the Cartoon GI website.

I Heart Guts is a small American company trying to make anatomy more accessible and fun. Some of their toys and resources can be useful in helping children to understand how their bodies work, and which organ(s) might be affected by their condition. This digestive system colouring page is ideal to help your child understand more about the organs that make up their gastrointestinal tract.