Abby for Families and Kids

Abby Health provides online-first care for Australian families, including children. A large share of common paediatric presentations — from minor respiratory illnesses to medication reviews, skin concerns, mental health support for older kids, and carer's certificates for parents — can be safely assessed by video or phone. Other presentations require hands-on review by a local clinician, and our clinicians will tell you clearly which situation you are in. All Abby Health practitioners hold current AHPRA registration. Consultations are bulk billed for eligible patients with a valid Medicare card.

Why families, in particular, benefit from a long-term clinic

Anyone who has raised young children in Australia knows what the healthcare admin looks like in practice. The toddler with a fever on a Saturday evening. The school absence that needs a carer's certificate. The repeat prescription that has just run out mid-school-holiday. The sibling with a rash that might or might not matter. The parent who has not had a GP appointment of their own in two years because everyone else's health always came first.

A long-term clinic helps not because it eliminates those moments, but because it makes each of them easier. A clinician who already knows the family history, the siblings' conditions, and the pattern of the last six months of illnesses starts the consultation already informed. That continuity matters most at the moments that matter most — when a parent needs to make a quick, calm judgment about whether their child's illness is ordinary or something to worry about.

For the broader picture of how Abby's continuity model works, see how Abby remembers you — continuity of care. Abby AI, our medical AI, surfaces each family member's relevant history before their appointment; it is a decision-support tool that supports the clinician, never a diagnostic one. For more, see what Abby AI is — decision support explained.

When telehealth works well for children

A surprising amount of routine paediatric general practice can be managed safely over a video call. That includes early review of common respiratory illnesses such as colds and mild coughs, review of known and stable skin conditions, advice on minor injuries where there is no suspicion of fracture or significant head injury, mental health support for older children and adolescents, ongoing medication review for stable conditions such as eczema or mild asthma, and follow-up after in-person or emergency assessments.

Video often provides a useful clinical picture — a clinician can observe how a child is breathing, what their colour and energy look like, whether a rash has the appearance of something concerning, and how a parent and child are interacting. For older children, a video consultation can also offer a degree of privacy and agency that is hard to match in a busy physical clinic. For the broader principle of when telehealth is appropriate, see when telehealth is right for you.

When telehealth is not the right mode for a child

There are situations in which a child needs to be seen in person. Abby clinicians are trained to identify these quickly and to guide you directly to the right local service, whether that is your nearest GP clinic, an urgent-care centre, or an emergency department.

Signs that a child needs in-person or emergency review include, but are not limited to: severe difficulty breathing or working hard to breathe, persistent drowsiness or unresponsiveness, a seizure, a stiff neck with fever, a rash that does not fade when pressed with a glass (a possible meningococcal sign), prolonged vomiting with signs of dehydration, severe or unusual headaches, significant head injury, suspected fracture, any serious injury, or any situation where you are worried and not sure what to do. If you are concerned a child is seriously unwell, call 000 immediately or take them to the nearest emergency department.

For general after-hours triage advice, healthdirect's 24-hour helpline on 1800 022 222 is available, and the healthdirect website carries Australian-government-endorsed paediatric symptom guidance. None of these resources replace emergency services where an emergency is suspected.

Common paediatric presentations Abby sees frequently

Among the kinds of consultations our clinicians see often for children are concerns about coughs, colds, and sore throats; mild tummy upsets and short-lived diarrhoea; concerns about eczema and other common skin conditions; questions about medication — how to administer it, side effects, when to review; adolescent mental health check-ins; sleep concerns; reviews of existing chronic conditions such as asthma or allergies; and advice on school sores, head lice, conjunctivitis, and other common infectious presentations.

In each case, the consultation will look similar to an in-person appointment. Your clinician will take a careful history, observe the child on video, and decide with you whether the consultation is sufficient or whether in-person review is needed. Prescriptions for children are issued by the same e-prescription system used for adults — see how to get a prescription online in Australia for how that works. Any medication is prescribed on the basis of clinical judgment and appropriate safety considerations for the child's age and weight.

Carer's certificates and the parent side of paediatric care

When a child is unwell, one or both parents often need to stay home to care for them. Australian employment law provides carer's leave for these situations, and employers typically require a carer's certificate from a medical practitioner. An Abby clinician can issue a carer's certificate where they consider one to be clinically warranted after speaking with you and, where appropriate, the child.

Carer's certificates are clinical documents, not administrative ones. They are issued at the discretion of the clinician, not on request. In practice, most situations in which a child is genuinely unwell and a parent needs to stay home do support a certificate — but the clinical assessment comes first.

Medicare, bulk billing, and how rebates work for children

Children have their own Medicare eligibility through the family's Medicare card, and from age 15 they can choose to have their own card. Medicare rebates apply to telehealth consultations for children in the same way they apply to adults, subject to the standard rules. Consultations at Abby are bulk billed for eligible patients with a valid Medicare card. The 12-month face-to-face rule applies to children as it does to adults; the operational detail, including the exemptions, is covered in the 12-month face-to-face rule explained. For the broader picture of bulk billing at Abby, see is Abby bulk billed.

Vaccinations, scheduled immunisations, and developmental checks (including the standard childhood health checks) require in-person delivery and are booked with your local GP, community health service, or council immunisation provider. Abby clinicians can support families in coordinating the broader care plan around those in-person visits — reviewing catch-ups, advising on upcoming due dates, and integrating the findings from local appointments into the child's ongoing record.

Consent, family accounts, and who can book what

Appointments for younger children are booked and attended by a parent or legal guardian, who provides consent and participates in the consultation. For adolescents, the picture is more nuanced. Australian law recognises the concept of a "mature minor" — a young person who has sufficient understanding and intelligence to consent to their own medical care. In practice, clinicians will exercise judgment about the degree of independent engagement appropriate for each adolescent, with parental involvement where that is clinically and legally appropriate.

Information for healthdirect and the Australian Government publish plain-language guidance for parents and adolescents on these questions. At Abby, the clinician will talk you and your child through what consent looks like for a given consultation, and what information will and will not be shared between parent and child records. For a broader view of the clinicians you may see, and when a Nurse Practitioner versus a GP is appropriate, see who are Abby's practitioners and when you'll see an NP vs a GP.

Frequently asked questions

What age children can be seen through Abby?

Abby clinicians see patients across the lifespan, including children. For younger children, consultations are booked and attended by a parent or legal guardian, who participates in the appointment. For adolescents, the approach reflects the mature-minor framework used across Australian general practice. If you are unsure whether a particular concern is appropriate for telehealth, please book a consultation and the clinician will assess and, if needed, direct you to in-person care.

When should I take my child to emergency instead of booking telehealth?

Go directly to emergency services on 000 or the nearest emergency department for severe breathing difficulty, persistent drowsiness or unresponsiveness, seizures, stiff neck with fever, a rash that does not fade under pressure, significant head injury, suspected fracture, or any situation where you believe your child is seriously unwell. For after-hours triage advice where an emergency is not suspected, healthdirect's 24-hour helpline on 1800 022 222 is available.

Can Abby issue a carer's certificate for my child's illness?

Yes, where a clinician considers one to be clinically warranted after speaking with you and, where appropriate, your child. Carer's certificates are clinical documents issued at the clinician's discretion, not on request. Consultations are bulk billed for eligible patients with a valid Medicare card.

Does Abby provide childhood vaccinations?

Vaccinations are an in-person service, delivered through your local GP, community health service, or council immunisation provider. Abby clinicians can support families in coordinating around those visits — reviewing the schedule, advising on catch-ups, and integrating findings from local appointments into your child's ongoing record.

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