Expert care for your child, from infancy to adolescence

I am Dr Muhammad Usman Yaqub, a UK-trained Consultant Paediatrician based in Basingstoke. I see children and young people for the whole range of general paediatric concerns — growth and feeding, nutrition, tummy and bowel problems, coughs and breathing, infant difficulties, skin, and allergy — offering unhurried appointments, clear explanations, and a plan the whole family can follow.

MBBS MRCPCH UK CCT in Paediatrics GMC Specialist Register
Dr Muhammad Usman Yaqub, Consultant Paediatrician

General Paediatrics

Every child is different. Every plan should be too.

Children are not small adults, and no two present in quite the same way. My clinics cover the full breadth of general paediatrics — from the acutely unwell child to growth and nutrition, reflux and constipation, cough and wheeze, the unsettled infant, sleep and early developmental concerns, headaches, rashes and recurrent illness. A fuller list of the conditions I see appears further down this page.

My aim is to give families an answer rather than a holding position. That begins with a careful history — what has already been tried, what concerns you most, and how the problem is affecting your child at home and at school. A thorough examination follows, with investigations arranged only where the result will change what we do. Where follow-up is required, I will arrange subsequent reviews until the picture is clear and your child is on the right path — with the same doctor each time.

  • Unhurried first appointments with time for your questions
  • A written summary and management plan after every visit
  • Second opinions, and a review of any diagnosis you are unsure about
  • Direct liaison with your GP, school, and other specialists

Your first appointment

  • 1We talkThe history matters more than any test.
  • 2I examine your childUnhurried, at their pace, explained as we go.
  • 3Testing where it helpsOnly when it will change what we do.
  • 4You leave with a planA written summary, and a letter to your GP.

Allergy — commonly seen

Food allergy Eczema Asthma & wheeze Hay fever Cow's milk protein allergy Urticaria Anaphylaxis

Not sure whether the symptoms are allergic at all? That is a perfectly good reason to come — ruling allergy out is as useful as confirming it, and often what a family needs is a general paediatric assessment rather than an allergy one.

A particular interest — Allergy

Getting to the answer, not just avoiding the problem

Alongside general paediatric problems, allergy is an area of particular interest, and I hold a Postgraduate Certificate in Allergy from Imperial College London. I often meet families who have been told to avoid a long list of foods without ever being told exactly what their child is allergic to.

A careful history, combined with appropriate testing, can often narrow that list dramatically. The aim is a confident diagnosis, the smallest safe set of restrictions, and a family who know exactly what to do if a reaction happens.

  • Skin prick testing, specific IgE blood tests and component-resolved diagnostics
  • Clear guidance on what must be avoided and what is safe to keep in the diet
  • Personalised anaphylaxis plans and adrenaline auto-injector training

Every age

From first days to eighteen

The questions change as children grow. I see babies, toddlers, school-age children and teenagers — and the same doctor follows them through.

A contented baby 0–1
First year

Babies

Feeding and weight gain, reflux and colic, the unsettled baby, and the worries that come with a difficult start.

A toddler playing 1–5
Early years

Toddlers & preschool

Fussy eating and growth, constipation, wheeze and recurrent coughs, sleep, eczema, and early developmental questions.

School-age children playing outdoors 6–12
School age

Children

Recurrent tummy pain, headaches, asthma and allergy, the child who is always unwell, and concerns about growth.

A teenager outdoors 13–18
Adolescence

Teenagers

Growth and puberty, fatigue, headaches, ongoing conditions, and the move towards managing their own health.

About

Dr Muhammad Usman Yaqub

Consultant Paediatrician
MBBS · MRCPCH · PGCert Allergy (Imperial College London) · UK CCT in Paediatrics

Qualifications

  • CCT in Paediatrics
    General Medical Council, 2018
  • PGCert Allergy
    Imperial College London, 2020
  • MRCPCH
    Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, 2014
  • MBBS
    Rawalpindi Medical College, University of Health Sciences Lahore, 2004

Professional Memberships

  • British Society for Allergy & Clinical Immunology (BSACI)
  • European Academy of Allergy & Clinical Immunology (EAACI)
  • Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH)
  • British Medical Association (BMA)
  • Medical and Dental Defence Union of Scotland (MDDUS)

I have been a Consultant Paediatrician in the NHS since 2019 and hold a UK Certificate of Completion of Training in Paediatrics, with entry on the GMC Specialist Register. I currently work at Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, based at Basingstoke and North Hampshire Hospital, where my NHS practice covers acute general paediatrics, the children's ward and assessment unit, the neonatal unit, and outpatient clinics.

My training took me through some of the largest tertiary paediatric centres in the country. I trained in Paediatric Intensive Care at King's College Hospital, London — a Major Trauma Centre and the national supraregional paediatric liver centre — and in Paediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes at Evelina London Children's Hospital. Nine years of UK specialty training included five posts in Level 3 neonatal intensive care, so I am equally at home with the sickest newborn and the anxious teenager.

That breadth is deliberate, and it is what general paediatrics asks for: the same clinic might see a baby who isn't gaining weight, a toddler with reflux, a six-year-old with a cough that won't settle, and a teenager with recurrent tummy pain. Allergy is an area of particular interest — I hold a Postgraduate Certificate in Allergy from Imperial College London — but it sits alongside the general work rather than replacing it.

My approach is straightforward: listen properly, explain in plain language, and give families a plan they actually feel able to follow. Children and parents should leave a consultation feeling clearer than when they arrived — and I would rather spend an extra ten minutes making sure of that than send anyone away with unanswered questions. I speak fluent Urdu and Punjabi as well as English.

Areas of Practice

  • General and acute paediatrics; the unwell child
  • Second opinions and review of an existing diagnosis
  • Growth, feeding, nutrition and faltering weight
  • Gastrointestinal problems — reflux, constipation, tummy pain
  • Respiratory problems — cough, wheeze, recurrent chest infections
  • Newborn and infant concerns; neonatal follow-up
  • Initial developmental review; sleep difficulties
  • Allergy — food allergy, eczema, hay fever, urticaria, anaphylaxis
  • Endocrine and metabolic concerns

Our Services

What I see children for

A full general paediatric service for children and young people from birth to 18 years. Allergy is an area of particular interest. You do not need a GP referral to book — though one is usually required if you intend to claim through private medical insurance.

01.

General Paediatric Assessment

An unhurried assessment of any concern about your child's health, growth, or development, with time to cover more than one problem. The usual starting point when you are not sure what is wrong.

02.

Acute Illness & the Unwell Child

Fever, coughs, sore throats, vomiting, rashes, and the child who has been unwell for days without a clear answer. Assessment, a diagnosis where one can be made, and a plan for what happens next.

03.

Growth, Feeding & Nutrition

Faltering weight, poor appetite, fussy eating, feeding difficulties in infancy, and children whose growth has fallen away from its earlier pattern.

04.

Tummy & Bowel Problems

Colic, reflux, constipation, recurrent tummy pain, diarrhoea, blood in the stool, and suspected food intolerance — common, distressing, and usually treatable.

05.

Coughs, Wheeze & Breathing

Persistent cough, recurrent chest infections, noisy breathing, and asthma — including inhaler technique and a written action plan.

06.

Newborn & Infant Concerns

The unsettled baby, feeding and weight-gain worries, and the common concerns of the first months — including babies born prematurely.

07.

Development & Milestones

An initial review of concerns about speech, movement, play or learning, and whether your child's milestones are where you would expect. Where a formal neurodevelopmental assessment is needed, I will refer you on.

08.

Sleep Difficulties

Settling, night waking and disrupted sleep in babies and younger children — particularly where sleep is being broken by reflux, eczema, breathing problems or another medical cause.

09.

Skin, Rashes & Eczema

Structured treatment plans for childhood eczema, practical guidance on emollients and topical steroids, and assessment of rashes and skin concerns.

10.

Second Opinions & Recurrent Illness

A diagnosis you would like reviewed, conflicting advice you are trying to make sense of, or the child who seems constantly unwell — with a fresh look at the history and what has already been tried.

11.

Allergy Assessment & Testing

Skin prick testing and specific IgE blood tests for suspected food and environmental allergies, including hay fever and urticaria, always interpreted alongside a careful clinical history rather than in isolation.

12.

Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis

Diagnosis and long-term management of food allergy, personalised anaphylaxis plans, auto-injector training, and documentation for nursery and school.

Conditions

What I can help with

A general paediatrician is usually the right first port of call when you are not sure which specialist you need. Below are the concerns families most often bring to me.

Newborns, babies & toddlers

  • Feeding difficulties
  • Poor weight gain
  • Reflux and colic
  • Cow's milk protein allergy
  • Concerns about head shape or size
  • Unusual movements or jitteriness

Tummy & bowel

  • Recurrent tummy pain
  • Constipation and soiling
  • Diarrhoea
  • Blood in the stool
  • Nausea and vomiting
  • Bloating
  • Suspected food intolerance

Chest & breathing

  • Asthma
  • Wheeze
  • Persistent or prolonged cough
  • Recurrent chest infections
  • Breathlessness on exertion
  • Noisy breathing

Growth, nutrition & hormones

  • Faltering growth
  • Short stature
  • Concerns about height or weight centiles
  • Poor appetite and fussy eating
  • Early or late puberty
  • Thyroid concerns
  • Nutrition

Allergy & skin

  • Food allergy
  • Eczema
  • Hay fever and allergic rhinitis
  • Urticaria (hives)
  • Anaphylaxis and emergency plans
  • Rashes, lumps and birthmarks

Headaches & funny turns

  • Headaches and migraine
  • Dizziness
  • Fainting episodes
  • Unexplained episodes or "funny turns"
  • Tremors and unusual movements

Bladder & kidney

  • Urine infections
  • Bedwetting
  • Daytime wetting
  • Urgency and frequency

Bones, joints & walking

  • Joint pain and swelling
  • Limp
  • Aches and growing pains
  • Delayed walking
  • Concerns about gait

Development, sleep & general

  • Initial developmental and milestone review
  • Sleep difficulties
  • Recurrent infections and illness
  • Fatigue and tiredness
  • Second opinions

Have a question? If you would like to ask anything about your child's health, or about whether an appointment would help, please write to us and we will be able to provide an answer.

Where I Practise

Clinic locations

Private clinics are held in Basingstoke, Hampshire, with easy access from north Hampshire, west Berkshire, and Surrey.

Private patient unit

The Candover Clinic

Basingstoke & North Hampshire Hospital
Aldermaston Road, Basingstoke
RG24 9NA
  • Run by Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
  • Free parking, in the clinic's own car park
  • Full hospital diagnostics on site
Get directions
Private hospital

The Hampshire Clinic

Basing Road, Old Basing
Basingstoke
RG24 7AL
  • Part of Circle Health Group
  • Free on-site parking
  • Dedicated outpatient rooms and diagnostics
Get directions

Both clinics are a few minutes from junction 6 of the M3, with free parking at each. Please say which you would prefer when you enquire — clinic days vary, and I will confirm the next available appointment by email.

Get in touch

Request an appointment

The best ways to reach me are the form below, WhatsApp, or email.

WhatsApp

Best for a quick question about availability. Please don't send clinical details, referral letters or documents by WhatsApp, and don't use it for anything urgent.

Email

bookings@paediaconnecthealth.co.uk

The route for GP referral letters, reports and any document or attachment.

Referrals

GP referral letters welcome

Please email referral letters to the address above rather than sending them by WhatsApp. A referral is not always necessary, but is usually required if you intend to claim through private medical insurance.

Registration

On the GMC Specialist Register

Full registration with a licence to practise, and entry on the Specialist Register in Paediatrics.

Your details are used only to respond to this enquiry and are never shared with third parties. This form is protected by a spam check from Cloudflare. Please do not use this form for urgent or emergency medical problems.