Grand Cayman Paediatrician – Dr Sara Watkin – on a Page
As my newborn and paediatric site has lots of info, I wanted those arriving to have a simple page of information about me, Dr Sara Watkin, Paediatrician (Pediatrician) & Neonatologist, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands. You’ll find a wealth of information below, including about my baby clinic, children’s clinic and other services.
(345) 745 7070 , the Main Telephone Number or (345) 326 7827 Mobile
2 Alexander Place
My Practice & Clinic Information
Optimal Healthcare Ltd at Dr Glatz’s Office
Monday - Friday, 8:30am-5pm & Saturday 9am-1pm
2 Alexander Place, Dorcy Drive, Grand Cayman
Thoughts, News & Articles from Dr Sara Watkin
A small collection of what is intended to be useful information and news from the world of newborn care and paediatrics generally and in the Cayman Islands specifically.
About Me – Paediatrician & Neonatologist
I moved to Grand Cayman in July 2016 to take up post, originally, as Specialist Paediatrician in Camana Bay and Specialist Neonatologist (newborn & preterm care) with full admitting rights to the neonatal unit and paediatric wards at George Town Hospital (Cayman Islands Hospital HSA). I moved from the UK, where I was Chief of Service for the Neonatal Service at University College London Hospitals, one of the UK’s most prestigious services, having previously been Chief of Service in Nottingham prior to this.
30 Years' Senior Experience
Tertiary Trained & Experienced
Full GMC Registration July 1987
True Consultant Neonatologist
Current Resuscitation Skills
Specialist Register Paediatrics
Former NICU Chief of Service
Newborn Emergencies
Neonatal care from 24 Weeks
I gained more than 23 years’ experience at consultant-level in UK paediatrics and neonatal medicine, where I gained 9 clinical excellence awards (the maximum number), having attained my specialist registration in paediatrics and undertaken tertiary level training in both paediatrics and neonatal medicine, including within World-famous Great Ormond Street Children’s Hospital. I have added a further 7+ years of both newborn and general paediatric experience to that since moving to Grand Cayman.
You can find out much more about my clinical background here:
Dr Sara Watkin, Paediatrician, Grand Cayman – detailed
Newborn Care
I am especially experienced in newborn care, including newborn resuscitation and preterm care, and a very safe pairs of hands at delivery to ensure no complications or a rapid response if there are. All of my deliveries are followed up with baby clinic appointments for their continued care and I obviously offer urgent care to address the range of paediatric (pediatric) care and development needs your newborn baby has, especially through the first year of life. It’s a busy time with lots of development so we’ll be seeing quite a lot of each other!
- Attending deliveries
- Baby checks
- Early care
- 1st year of life care
- Breastfeeding advice
- Feeding, nutrition & growth
- Immunisation & vaccination
- Congenital abnormalities
- Wheezing & Breathing Difficulties
The above is not a comprehensive list but it does contain the majority of the more common aspects of care that I provide for the newborn period. My experience from UCLH & Nottingham as a consultant and my training, including from GOSH means I cover the full spectrum of more complex problems too but these are obviously more rare in a population of our size here in Cayman.
Neonatal Intensive Care
- Neonatal resuscitation & life support
- Preterm birth from 24 weeks gestation
(ELBW – extremely low birth weight, VLBW – very and upwards from there) - Growth restriction and small for dates babies
- Respiratory distress, including surfactant administration & all forms of ventilation
- Cardiac and circulatory issues
- Congenital abnormalities
- Newborn infections & immune problems
I am always keen to discuss with parents both the sorts of problems that can occur in delivery and what happens if a baby is born preterm. We do have an excellent neonatal unit with first class staff here in Cayman, and so with the right care, our infants do very well for a small island.
Newborn Emergencies & Neonatal Care in Cayman Islands
Birth Asphxia
Birth asphyxia is a highly serious and potentially life-threatening condition that occurs when a newborn baby doesn’t receive an adequate supply of oxygen before, during, or immediately after birth. This lack of oxygen can lead to severe and irreversible damage to the baby’s vital organs, particularly the brain, and can result in long-term developmental issues or even death if not promptly addressed. Birth asphyxia demands immediate medical intervention to ensure the newborn’s survival and minimize the risk of long-term complications, making it a critical concern in neonatal care.
I have significant experience of managing birth asphyxia, including head & body cooling as an intervention (UCLH was famous for this)
(See my former colleague Professor Nicole Robertson discussing UCLH work on cooling: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zkExOzUegi8)
Paediatric Care
Although my BabyDoctor.ky site is more focused on… babies and newborn care, I do also have a very busy paediatric service too.
I operate a very busy paediatric service and I pride myself on the highest standards of paediatric care, fully up-to-date and tailored to the needs of each and every child and their parents too. My children’s clinic appointments are available throughout the week at convenient times although I obviously get called to the hospital at times.
My Paediatric Services include:
- Development, developmental follow up & milestones
- Immunisation & vaccinations
- Ongoing feeding and nutrition advice and conditions
- Allergies & intolerances e.g. Cows Milk Intolerance
- Growth advice and concerns
- Skin, spots, rashes and other blemishes
- Fevers, viruses etc including bronchiolitis
- Asthma, wheezing & exercise intolerance
- Ears, noses, throats & eyes
- Urgent or emergency care
I work with other specialists when children require referrals e.g. ENT or eye specialists.
I have full admitting rights to the George Town Hospital (HSA) paediatric wards and we have an urgent care service in-house too.
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Antenatal Appointment or Booking me for Newborn Care
You can use the form below for either of these purposes. If you are simply booking me for a new delivery and don’t require a specific antenatal appointment (been there, done it before, got the t-shirt etc), just indicate this in the dialogue box and we can arrange it remotely although you are always welcome to discuss in more detail.
Choosing a Newborn Paediatrician
Many parents first choose a paediatrician when they are about to have their first child and then maintain that relationship throughout their child’s childhood. I always suggest meeting paediatricians to see who best meets your needs. You can meet me for free antenatally, where we can discuss birth, immediate newborn care and address any questions you may have.
Accessibility
I pride myself in my availability and accessibility. I regularly take calls in the evening, weekend and at night. I live 5-10 minutes from George Town and can be at the hospital generally within 5-7 minutes from the point of an urgent phone call or for a delivery.
My parents know that they can call me when they need me and they’ll never be made to feel that they shouldn’t have called.