PALO ALTO, CA-- “This is an extremely important field. That’s why we’re pleased to work with one of the world’s top experts.”
 
Neville Golden, MD, director of the Center for Adolescent Health at Packard Children’s Hospital, is discussing Paula Hillard, MD, chief of gynecological specialties. An internationally-known pediatric and adolescent gynecologist and researcher, Hillard is leading the gynecology service at the hospital’s adolescent health clinic in Mountain View. “There’s a growing demand for what we do,” said Hillard, who is one of only around 400 such physicians in the U.S. “The reproductive and gynecologic needs and concerns of infants, children and adolescents are often unmet, and a lot of parents and families have never even heard of this specialty.”
 
That’s because children generally go to pediatricians for medical care until they turn 18, which is when many girls first see a gynecologist. But even the best-trained pediatricians can have a hard time diagnosing an ailment that's outside their realm of expertise. “The range of treatment we offer is extensive, for both the challenging and routine,” said Hillard, who is also professor of gynecology and obstetrics at the Stanford University School of Medicine and chief of the division of gynecologic specialties. “We care for girls with unusual genital anomalies in addition to the teenager with menstrual problems. Some gynecologic problems can vary with age, and some must be monitored for life.”
 
Hillard joined the adolescent health team in 2007. Prior to that, she was a professor at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine in the department of obstetrics and gynecology, where she founded and directed the fellowship program in pediatric and adolescent gynecology at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center. Hillard has been active on a number of national medical committees, including serving as chair of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists’ Committees on Patient Education, Adolescent Health, and Guidelines for Women’s Health. She is also a past president of the North American Society for Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology. She is an associate editor of a major textbook, Novak’s Gynecology; the editor of the 5-Minute Obstetrics and Gynecology Consult; and the author of more than 50 book chapters on women’s health.
 
“Dr. Hillard is a giant in this field, and we’re thrilled that she’s seeing kids in our clinic,” said Golden, who noted that the Center for Adolescent Health also provides much-needed consultation for all adolescent health issues. “When a patient comes in for a sore throat, we not only treat that problem, but also ask about vaccinations, sexual activity and high risk behaviors such as substance abuse. This allows our adolescent health clinic to provide appropriate medical guidance and if necessary, appropriate referrals.
 
The Center for Adolescent Health is located in Mountain View at 1174 Castro Street, Suite 250. For more information or to refer a patient, visit www.adolescentmedicine.lpch.org or call (650) 694-0600.
 
About Lucile Packard Children's Hospital
Ranked as one of the nation's best pediatric hospitals by U.S. News & World Report, Lucile Packard Children's Hospital at Stanford is a 272-bed hospital devoted to the care of children and expectant mothers. Providing pediatric and obstetric medical and surgical services and associated with the Stanford University School of Medicine, Packard Children's offers patients locally, regionally and nationally the full range of health care programs and services, from preventive and routine care to the diagnosis and treatment of serious illness and injury. For more information, visit www.lpch.org.