Most expats see a paediatrician at one of the private hospitals. Some paediatricians also consult at their own clinics and this can be convenient if you don’t live close to a big private hospital. If you have medical insurance that covers outpatient care, paediatrician visits should be covered, but many policies do not cover vaccinations and these can be quite pricey.

It’s important that you’re happy with your child’s doctor so if you’re not, feel free to try someone else. It’s not unusual for parents to try two or three doctors before finally settling on one they really get on with. Word of mouth can be very useful in finding someone who suits your culture and personal preferences; you can also try contacting the ibu family resource group (www.ibufamily.org) for a list of paediatricians other expats have used.

The Malaysian vaccination schedule may be different from that in your home country due to local incidence of disease. A child born in Malaysia needs to be protected against the diseases he or she may encounter here. Paediatricians are usually happy to discuss any differences with you and will take your wishes into account. The most common differences are that the tuberculosis vaccine (BCG) is commonly given at or around birth and that Hepatitis B is a routine vaccination.

MMR is usually given as a single injection. If you would like to have your child immunised separately for each disease, you should discuss this with your paediatrician. In the private healthcare system there is more flexibility than is often the case in government-funded systems such as the NHS in the UK, so you can ask for extra vaccinations such as chicken pox or meningitis and your paediatrician will usually be happy to do them.

You may not find familiar brand names of medication for infants and young children in Malaysian pharmacies and many expats bring supplies with them from home. If in doubt, always check with a doctor before medicating your child. Some medications commonly available over the counter elsewhere (such as Infacol for colic symptoms) are not available in Malaysia.

Once your child starts mixing with other children at nursery, toddler group or playgroup, he or she is bound to pick up a few common illnesses. Apart from the usual coughs and colds, watch out for occasional outbreaks of chicken pox and hand, foot and mouth disease, a virus which causes fever and blisters on the tongue and mouth, palms of the hands and soles of the feet. Diarrhoea can be spread through poor hygiene at nurseries, so make sure your child learns to wash their hands properly after going to the toilet and before eating. Because of the heat, any illness involving diarrhoea or vomiting is potentially serious because of the risk of dehydration. Give your child plenty of water or electrolyte solution to drink and take them to the doctor or hospital if the illness is severe.

Be warned that many doctors, including paediatricians, run their surgeries on a first come first served basis. This can result in very long waits. Call first to check and try to arrive towards the beginning or end of consulting hours to minimise the waiting time.