Frequently Asked Questions
Does Dr. McConnell require a referral letter before he can see my child?
Yes. Because he is a specialist, he requires a letter of referral with a specified concern from a physician or nurse practitioner before he can see your child. This applies to any siblings also.
What is the age of patients that Dr. McConnell sees?
Dr. McConnell sees patients from birth all the way up to age 18. If he is seeing a patient who is about to turn 18, he may refer the patient on to an adult dermatologist for continued care if necessary.
What skin conditions is Dr. McConnell able to see?
Dr. McConnell sees children with any pediatric skin concerns. He has completed a fellowship in Pediatric Dermatology and has extensive expertise and experience in this field., Skin conditions that he frequently manages include acne, atopic dermatitis, alopecia areata, hemangiomas, psoriasis, vitiligo, vascular malformations, birthmarks, dandruff, toenail issues, warts, molluscum contagiosum, viral rashes, skin infections, hair disorders, diaper rashes, excessive sweating, keratosis pilaris, hives, autoimmune skin conditions such as morphea, and many other common and uncommon skin conditions.
Does Dr. McConnell have a nurse that works with him?
Yes, Dr. McConnell has two nurses that work with him. Jessica and Jennifer are pediatric nurses with extensive education and expertise in pediatric dermatology. They will often see patients during their first visit to Chickadee pediatrics and dermatology. However, every single patient will also be seen by Dr. McConnell at every visit.
Is there a cost associated with seeing Dr. McConnell?
No. The appointments with Dr. McConnell are covered by Alberta health services in the vast majority of situations. However, there are a few procedures that are not covered by Alberta health services that he may do that may have a cost associated with them. These include treating some warts and removing benign (healthy) moles.
Will Dr. McConnell see me for follow-up appointments?
Yes. Most often, Dr. McConnell will send a very detailed management plan letter back to the referring physician but he also likes to see his patients in follow-up when ongoing care is expected. Please note that we need to see you at least once a year to keep the referral current. If it has been more than one year since your last visit, we will require a new referral to see you again.
Will Dr. McConnell see my other children for their skin conditions?
Yes... But only after he has received a referral from a physician or nurse practitioner. Because he is a specialist, he limits his practice to patients who have been referred to him. Also, because he wants to provide excellent dermatology care to his patients during their visit, he does not want to be rushed by seeing other children at the same time who are not on his schedule.
Does Dr. McConnell do allergy testing?
No. However, if there are concerns about an allergy contributing to the skin condition that is being evaluated, he may refer your child to a pediatric allergist.
Does Dr. McConnell work on evenings or weekends?
No. Dr. McConnell works 7 AM to 4 PM two weeks of each month and he works 9 AM to 4 PM on the other two weeks per month. He used to work many evenings and weekends when he was an emergency pediatrician at the Stollery Children’s Hospital but now his practice hours are more “normal” so that he can spend time with his family.
Does Dr. McConnell see adult patients with skin issues?
No. Dr. McConnell is a pediatrician who then went on to specialize in pediatric dermatology (Pediatric Dermatology fellowship in Phoenix at Phoenix Children’s Hospital). He does not have expertise in adult dermatology.
If my child has a lesion that needs to be removed, will he remove it at the first visit?
Not usually. His preference is to see the patient first, assess the lesion and then determine the best approach if a procedure is indicated. It is usually better for his pediatric patients to come back when the clinic is not so busy so that the procedure can be done in a quiet, unhurried fashion.
Does Dr. McConnell treat acne?
Absolutely! Although most acne is mild, there is a potential for real scarring even with mild acne. Also, there are great treatments for the many different types of acne that kids can have. There are so many products available for acne that get marketed well to teens and parents that it can be completely over whelming. We can simplify (reduce cost, confusion and frustration) and provide proper acne medications that will work extremely well.
Is excess sweating a treatable skin concern?
Yes. Excess sweating is called hyperhidrosis. It is very common and can be very problematic (can’t hold pens or sports equipment, require dark hoodies to hide sweat stains, can’t hold hands or shake hands because of excess sweat, can’t wear flip flops, etc). Fortunately, there are some very good treatments for hyperhidrosis. Dr. McConnell also has hyperhidrosis and understands the frustration with this skin condition personally. He would be more than happy to treat anybody with excess sweating.
Dr. Don McConnell MD, FRCPC, Pediatrics, Fellowship in Pediatric Dermatology, Associate Clinic Professor at U of A