Peter D. Claes is a Clinical Geneticist based in Parkville, VIC, at 50 Flemington Rd. He works with families who are dealing with genetic conditions, including problems that start before birth and changes that show up as a child grows.
In many cases, people come in because of a mix of symptoms that don’t fit neatly into one usual cause. Peter looks at the bigger picture, including family history and test results, to help explain what may be going on. He also helps families understand what the diagnosis can mean for day-to-day care and long-term planning.
Peter’s work covers a range of conditions. This can include growth and bone conditions like achondroplasia, differences of the face and jaw such as cleft lip and palate and Pierre Robin sequence, and skull shape concerns like craniosynostosis and plagiocephaly. He also helps with rarer genetic syndromes and “RASopathies”, plus conditions that affect the skin, hair, and sweat glands, such as ectodermal dysplasias and hypohidrotic ectodermal dysplasia.
He also supports people with other genetic-linked health issues, including immune problems like immune defects due to absence of the thymus, and changes linked with heart, face and body features (for example cardiofaciocutaneous syndrome). Over time, Peter builds a clear plan around the needs of the person and their family, and he focuses on practical next steps after testing.
Peter has clinical experience working through complex genetic presentations, where more than one body system can be involved. His education is in the clinical genetics space, and he keeps up with how genetic testing and care pathways change as new knowledge comes through.
For people in Victoria and beyond, Peter aims to make a hard topic a bit easier to understand, step by step, with calm, clear communication from the first appointment.