THE LOCAL FILES: ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR MICHAEL NOWOTNY

Mornington Peninsula residents are fortunate to have easy access to a wide range of medical facilities and practitioners, from Frankston to Portsea, with specialised hubs in key catchment areas like Mornington and Rosebud for adults and children alike. Importantly, the area of paediatric allergy has been well serviced, and is now set to reach new heights of standard and care with a newly renovated clinic in Capel Sound.

Mt Martha local Associate Professor Michael Nowotny is a Paediatrician and Allergist, and in September he opened the doors to a specialist paediatric allergy practice. An experienced paediatric allergist, general paediatrician and medical educator, Professor Nowotny has taken over the rooms of retired Paediatric Allergist Dr David Bannister.

“Dr Bannister is a great friend, mentor and colleague and he has been a leading light in paediatric allergy particularly in southern Melbourne,” explains Professor Nowotny. “I am delighted to provide ongoing care to his former patients, and paediatric patients in general. My aim is to continue to provide a comprehensive paediatric allergy service encompassing the Mornington Peninsula, Southeastern and Eastern suburbs, South Gippsland and West Gippsland. I am looking forward to working with families across the region to provide high-quality evidence-based paediatric allergy-related care to young patients.”

Professor Nowotny is passionate, driven and committed, and dedicated to finding solutions for his patients. Having recently purchased and renovated a home in Mt Martha, he is well-ensconced in the local area. He also maintains significant roles with the Australian Medical Council as an assessor and works closely with the National Allergy Council.

“I am really pleased to be providing clinical services dedicated to childhood allergies. There is a real shortage of suitably trained specialists and so there is a great opportunity to support families with really practical advice. There are so many beautiful babies, toddlers and pre-schoolers whose lives can be made so much more comfortable by alleviating debilitating allergy reactions. I can assist with their eczema, respiratory and food allergies with relatively simple interventions that can totally change these children’s lives - and importantly, their parents’ lives. It’s really so rewarding. That’s one of the aspects that doctors love the most about being doctors - seeing the results and making a difference for their patients.”

Interest in the area of allergies has exponentially increased since the 1960s. Indeed, there has been a momentous increase in allergy frequency, especially in Australia and specifically in Victoria. “As the rye grass capital of the world, we have one of the highest levels of nose and chest-related allergies. The thunderstorm asthma phenomenon is particularly high here,” says Professor Nowotny. “All western countries have seen an increase in allergy responses, in fact 10% of infants under 12 months have an allergy. That is why it's an area of such active research.

The Victorian paediatric population needs easier access to allergy services, but this is a highly specialised area that requires a great deal of training to achieve competency. The waiting lists to see a paediatric allergist can be extraordinarily long, particularly in regional areas (often more than six months - the waiting time to see an allergist at the Children’s hospital is up to two years).  If you have a child with severe anaphylaxis, asthma or eczema, it’s really disturbing to have to wait so long to try and find out what the cause is.

Says Professor Nowotny, “This is one of the key reasons why I’m so involved with the National Allergy Council. We are trying to build a pool of paediatric allergy specialists particularly in regional areas, which is where I’ve been working most of my life. Quite often families have to travel a great distance to the centre of Melbourne to see a specialist, which is very challenging physically and emotionally.  So, our goal is to set up pockets of competency in regional areas around Australia via The Regional & Rural Allergy Network – a collegiate group of professionals trained by experts who will be able to provide a high quality of care outside of the metro areas. Kicking off in Feb 2025, this is a very practical solution for delivering quality care to regional communities.”

With a focus on growing his Capel Sound clinic, Professor Nowotny offers allergy testing, treatments and solutions that are best practice, and based on evidence. “We provide a really good outcome for families, who are often very stressed by the time they get to the clinic, and most importantly of course, we help alleviate the symptoms these children face.”

“We are very proud of the holistic treatment we provide, and of the considered child-friendly environment we have created. We strive to engender an immediately welcoming and safe space. Prick testing can be daunting but by the time we get to it, the kids are very relaxed and at ease which makes the process much smoother and less traumatic.”

Small children in particular (toddlers through to pre-school) are often quite nervous when they come into a medical clinic, so Professor Nowotny and his team have created a warm and inviting environment that puts them immediately at ease. Bluey is always on the tv in the background, and they can watch a movie (Frozen is a firm favourite), play with toys and relax in comfort. The team is always clear with the children and parents about the testing techniques, how unthreatening they are, and how they will be looked after through the whole process.

The services on offer include:

- Food allergy and intolerance assessment, investigation and management, including IgE and non IgE mediated food allergies

- Food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome (FPIES)

- Skin prick testing

- Aeroallergen assessment, investigation and management(including sublingual immunotherapy)

- Management of allergic rhinitis, conjunctivitis, and asthma

- Insect and drug allergy including antibiotic allergy

- Childhood eczema treatment and management.

- Urticaria assessment and management

Professor Nowotny’s qualifications, appointments and experience are extensive:

- Graduate of Monash University Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery and Bachelor of Medical Science(Hons).

- Current Adjunct Associate Professor – Monash University since 2016.

- Senior fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians and previous national examiner.

- Post Graduate certificate in health professional education (GCHPE).

- Current Assessor for the Australian Medical Council.

- Previous Director of Paediatrics at a large regional hospital.

- Previous Director of Basic Paediatric Physician Training in Victoria.

- Previous Director of Monash University Gippsland Regional Training Hub

Allergy-related professional memberships:

• Australian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy (ASCIA)

• European Allergy and Immunology Society (EAACI)

• American Academy of Allergy Asthma and Immunology (AAAAI)

• Allergy Training Advisory Group, formed in conjunction with the Australian Paediatric Society and National Allergy Council.

Contact the team at Peninsula Paediatrics and Allergy if you need assistance with your child’s allergies.

6/1533 Pt Nepean Rd, Capel Sound

www.peninsulapaediatrics.com.au