Bay Paediatrics, Bay Paediatrics, Tauranga (2025)

13/10/2025

Cracking the Neurodiversity Code.🧩

What an EPIC day!! 🚀

We were delighted to welcome 450 people to Baycourt Theatre in Tauranga to host the biggest EVER event for Neurodiverse Families in New Zealand.

EPIC Families is for Extraordinary Parents and Incredible Children, and this was about bringing leading experts to the stage to help families solve their most pressing challenges.

At Bay Paediatrics we truly believe that every family deserves the freedom to thrive, and EPIC Families is our way of helping parents & caregivers get the knowledge, mindset and confidence to support their neurodivergent children.

EPIC Families will be back next year… and we’ll take it to a whole new level.

11/10/2025

EPIC Families LIVE…today is the day!

Excited to welcome over 400 people to NZ’s biggest neurodiverse family event EVER!!

06/10/2025

The most EPIC event for Neurodiverse Families in New Zealand… EVER!

It’s Mental Health Week, and there’s no better time to jump on board the Neurodiversity Revolution.

We’re giving neurodiverse families the tools, knowledge, confidence, and connection they need to be truly EPIC: Extraordinary Parents. Incredible Children.

This Sunday, October 12th, at Baycourt Theatre in Tauranga, 350 PEOPLE are already confirmed for a show-stopping, code-cracking, game-changing event.

We’re bringing the REAL neurodiversity experts — developmental paediatricians, psychologists, teachers, behavioural change specialists, and CEOs — to help families solve their biggest challenges:

🤯 Emotions�
💤 Sleep
🎓 School�
😡 Meltdowns�
🥗 Diet�
🧠 Resilience
📱 Screens & Internet�
🚀 Confidence

This is about giving neurodiverse families the freedom to thrive: brand-new insights, practical tips, real understanding… all in a room full of families just like yours.

Head to the Bay Paediatrics website to grab the last few tickets and be part of something truly EPIC for New Zealand.

This Sunday, we’re changing the game for neurodiverse families.

Forever.

30/09/2025

When it comes to child neurodiversity, we are rewriting the rules!

We're excited to be featured in the Spring edition of UNO magazine where we discuss the New Zealand Neurodiversity Centre of Excellence, and our mission to revolutionise ADHD and Autism assessment, treatment and support for families in the Bay of Plenty and beyond.

02/09/2025

EPIC Families LIVE is back!

On October 12th 2025, the Neurodiversity Revolution returns to Tauranga, bringing some amazing speakers to help families crack the neurodiversity code.

After the HUGE success of our first show in March, we’re bringing you a brand new group of experts to deliver the definitive answers and practical solutions to help you solve the challenges of:

- Managing emotional dysregulation, drama, meltdowns and outbursts
- Focusing in the classroom, managing life at school…and cracking the teacher communication code
- Sleeping and bedtimes
- Dealing with anxiety for children…and parents
- Mealtimes, nutrition and eating habits
- Being a neurodivergent parent with neurodivergent children
- Communicating with your child about ADHD
- Helping your child to discover their ‘ADHD Advantage’

This time we're going bigger and better: It's our mission to deliver the largest event for neurodiverse families EVER in New Zealand.

Check out what happened in our last EPIC Families event (which totally sold out).

Links to tickets are in the comments: We would love to see you there!

17/07/2025

🎓 Helping teachers to help children 🎓

School can be a tough environment for neurodiverse children.

From emotional struggles to educational challenges. From friendships to focus. From maths to meltdowns: The classroom can often be a confusing and overwhelming place.

As parents, we know first hand that feeling in the pit of your stomach when you see the school number flashing on your phone *again*. Or the heartbreak of a bedtime conversation that reveals friendship challenges. Or the panic of being late for work and having your child refuse to get ready for school because they don’t want to be there.

But it’s also a challenge for schools. Often, despite best intentions and a huge desire to make a positive difference, teachers, principals and learning support teams often feel overwhelmed, understaffed and under-equipped to deal with a growing number of children dealing with an increasing number of challenges.

Bay Paediatrics is on a mission to change all of this. Starting right now.

Today, we started delivering free neurodiversity care hampers to every primary and intermediate school in Tauranga. Some info, some insights, and some delicious snacks to make teachers smile.

This is what our New Zealand Neurodiversity Centre of Excellence is all about - not just world-class ADHD, ASD and learning assessments, but also giving professionals the right tools, knowledge and confidence so they can do their part to create extraordinary parents and incredible children.

If you have a child at school anywhere between Ōmokoroa and Papamoa Plaza, hopefully their teachers will now be in a good mood this week!

11/07/2025

🧠 Putting neurodiversity and mental health at the top of the agenda.

It was great to welcome Tauranga MP and New Zealand Health Committee member Sam Uffindell MP to Bay Paediatrics today.

Sam was able to meet some of our team members and experience the New Zealand Neurodiversity Centre of Excellence first-hand to discover how we deliver the leading ADHD and Autism assessments for children (AND adults).

We’ve invested in our vision of creating the leading paediatric clinic in the country - located in the heart of Tauranga and with 10 state-of-the-art consultations which are now all FILLED with the the leading paediatricians, psychiatrists, psychologists, counsellors and play therapists.

The journey is just beginning but we're so proud of what the team is creating and how Bay Paediatrics is building a brighter future for children across New Zealand.

30/06/2025

🎙️ NEW PODCAST EPISODE! 🔊

When you’re a parent of a neurodivergent child, there are times when life can feel impossible. But our truly EPIC guest, the one and only Mary-Jane du Toit is living proof that NOTHING is impossible.

Mary-Jane is a mum of a neurodiverse family and founder of Spectrum Connections - a charitable trust that provides peer support for families who have a child or teen that has Autism, Aspergers, ADHD, ADD or any other form of neurodiversity.
In this open, honest and truly inspirational podcast which is jam-packed with insights and wisdom, MJ reveals:

🧭 What it feels like to be in it for ‘the long haul’ and how the neurodiversity diagnosis of her sons became a ‘gateway’ to her mission of helping the world become a better place for neurodiverse families.

🎓 How her son’s behaviours at school and kindergarten started to lay a trail of clues that something was different about his development, which led to an autism diagnosis.

😥Nothing will ever be ‘normal’ again - The pain that parents can go through when their child receives a neurodiversity diagnosis.

🗺️ How ‘the neurodiversity journey’ doesn’t end with a diagnosis…in fact, it’s only the beginning. However, it also gives parents the opportunity to embrace their child’s uniqueness.

🔄 The cycle of family change and how it can help parents deal with anger, frustration, overwhelm and the other emotions that arise when parenting a neurodiverse child.

🆘 When you're on parenting journey, how to know when to ‘push through’….and when to ask for help.

Plus, you’ll discover MJ’s secret…

💡When it feels like the world is against you, how to remember, “this is a bad moment, not a bad life”

WeI loved recording this with MJ, she truly is the Queen of Neurodiversity.

Links to listen are in the comments.

27/06/2025

It was great to welcome Tom Rutherford MP for Bay of Plenty to Bay Paediatrics today.

Tom had heard about the amazing work our paediatricians and psychologists are doing for New Zealand families, and he wanted to come and experience the New Zealand Neurodiversity Centre of Excellence for himself.

Politics and healthcare is always going to be a complex subject to navigate, but there was one thing we all agreed upon today:

We can do MORE to help families in the Bay of Plenty and across New Zealand.

It’s a real privilege to see our team of world-class experts delivering an amazing ADHD and autism diagnostic service…

But the diagnosis is the start of the journey, not the end. We can give families more support to help them navigate every step of an unfamiliar journey.

There is understandably a lot of anxiety out there for families right now. The first step to eliminating anxiety is helping them to realise that IF they can get access to the right support, then things can change. Real fast.

Now, the mission is to turn the ‘big’ IF into a small ‘if’. The right support needs to be the norm, not the exception.

The one big realisation from our meeting today is this:

For families to win, we have to collectively show up for them.

Public healthcare, politicians, teachers, Bay Paediatrics - we ALL have to show up, step up and do our part.

And Bay Paaeds will be leading the charge.

18/06/2025

Some say a child’s ADHD brain is like having a Ferrari engine with BMX brakes.

Others believe that ADHD brains are like being in a perfectly-functioning supercar…but when you’re stuck in the passenger seat.

Either way, it can be a challenge…

🔘 The feeling of having no ‘off’ switch.

⚡️ 100% energy but 0% focus

⏩ Only two speeds: Handbrake up or pedal to the metal.

But if you've ever felt like your child is constantly on the go, can't seem to slow down, or jumps from one thought to another faster than you can follow… you're not alone.

The ADHD brain can be fabulous, frustrating and frightening all once. So here’s a reminder from the Bay Paediatrics experts…

🚗 The engine is powerful.�These kids think fast. They notice everything. Their creativity fires at lightning speed. They can hyperfocus like a laser when something captures their interest.

🛞 But the steering?�It’s unpredictable. Switching tasks, following a linear plan, or staying on track with instructions can feel like trying to steer during a skid on black ice.

🛑 And the brakes?�Impulse control is hard. Slowing down, stopping a behaviour, or pausing to think before acting — that’s where the real challenge lies.

This is NOT about laziness, lack of discipline, or bad parenting.

It’s about brain wiring — and with the right support, tools, and understanding, these incredible brains can thrive.

💡 Quick tip: When your child is ‘spinning out’, don’t just yell “slow down!” Instead, try helping them build better brakes:

* Use visual timers
* Break down tasks
* Create short, clear routines
* Celebrate the pauses, not just the wins

Your child isn’t broken. Their brain just drives differently.

And once they learn how to steer it....
..There’s no limit to where they’ll go. 🗺️

17/06/2025

🎓 The Future of Education for Neurodiverse Children 🚀

Education is such an important part of every child’s life. But for too many neurodiverse families, school is where they feel overlooked and overwhelmed. However, one school in the Bay of Plenty, New Zealand is fighting for every child to get the specialised learning support they deserve, so they can create a future to thrive in.

This special episode of the EPIC Families Podcast features Mary Woods, Principal of Matahui School in Katikati. She has created a unique education framework that embraces each child’s unique qualities and strengths, celebrates neurodiversity, and aims to build positive self-esteem and a love of learning.

Right now, the school’s future is under threat from a number of political and economic challenges, so we at Bay Paediatrics are joining this mission to protect the educational future of neurodiverse children.

Mary also reveals:

🎓 The difficulties that neurodiverse children face in everyday schooling, and how these challenges can show up.

😵‍💫 Why schooling can be so overwhelming for children, and the impacts that can arise if neurodiversity doesn’t get identified early.

📝 Tests aren’t everything - why a teacher building a strong relationship with the child can be the most powerful way to understand what is really happening.

😃 The one thing every school needs to change in order to improve the learning outcomes of your child.

🌺 How being out in nature can have a powerful impact on regulating a child’s emotions and enhancing their learning.

🫶 The secret to helping children overcome trauma and confidence issues so they can feel safe and secure.

PLUS…

🎯 The one education TRAVESTY in New Zealand and elsewhere that schools need to fix IMMEDIATELY

EPIC Families is all about creating Extraordinary Parents & Incredible Children. Listen now wherever you get your podcasts.

11/06/2025

🧠 The Neurodiversity Dream Team 🚀

We are super excited to welcome paediatric consultant Dr Christine Rawlings to Bay Paediatrics.

Christine is a highly respected expert in her field, and brings a wealth of paediatric and neurodevelopmental experience to the team, gained over many years working with families in the UK and here in her native New Zealand.

She will be playing a lead part in many of our ADHD and Autism assessments and her work is respected and admired by peers, parents and children alike!

Alongside our commitment to Bay of Plenty families through establishing the New Zealand Neurodiversity Centre of Excellence, the investment in world-class talent and growing our team means that we can diagnose and treat more families, more quickly.

Welcome Christine, we are so looking forward to having you on this awesome Bay Paediatrics journey!

Bay Paediatrics

13/10/2025

11/10/2025

06/10/2025

30/09/2025

02/09/2025

17/07/2025

11/07/2025

30/06/2025

27/06/2025

18/06/2025

17/06/2025

11/06/2025

Address

Website

Alerts

Contact The Practice

Shortcuts

Share

Category