Leanne M. Johnston is a Pediatrician based in QLD, Australia. She looks after babies, children, and young people who need careful, day to day medical support, especially when a child’s development or movement is affected.
In many cases, families come in because their child has conditions like cerebral palsy or spastic diplegia. At times this also comes with things like muscle tightness, changes in how a child moves, and different levels of strength and balance. Leanne also works with children who have related movement concerns, including athetosis and chorea, plus issues that can affect feeding, sleep, or comfort.
Some children are seen for ongoing muscle and posture problems such as hypotonia (low muscle tone) and hypermobile joints. Others have physical development differences, including plagiocephaly and brachydactyly, where a clear plan and regular check-ins can make a big difference for families.
Pain and comfort matter too. Leanne is experienced in helping manage acute pain and looking at what might be driving it, so children can be more comfortable and get back to playing and learning. There are also times when symptoms can change over the course of childhood, such as with alternating hemiplegia of childhood, where episodes can come and go and families need solid guidance.
She also sees children with a mix of other health concerns. For example, achondroplasia is one of the conditions she may help coordinate care for, along with other long term health needs like cystic fibrosis. In some cases, children may also be assessed for skin and hormone related issues, including acanthosis nigricans.
Leanne works in a calm, practical way. She focuses on understanding what’s happening for each child, not just the diagnosis name. Families often want clarity, and she helps explain options in plain language, so they can feel more confident about the next steps.
Overall, her paediatric work suits children and teens who may have more complex needs, where careful monitoring, thoughtful treatment choices, and steady follow up are important.
