Dr Hendrike McDonald

Hendrike McDonald is a paediatrician working across clinical and research settings in developmental paediatrics. Her work focuses on early childhood development and developmental disorders, with a particular interest in scalable, context-appropriate technologies that strengthen developmental care in Majority World settings. She is committed to equitable access to early identification, diagnosis, treatment and care for children with developmental differences, and to advocating for environments that uphold the dignity and potential of all children.

Hendrike is currently involved in several large research projects, including the NeuroDev study, the Akili project, and the Khula and SPACE EXPLORE birth cohorts; leading the research group’s medical team. She provides clinical care in the developmental paediatrics clinics and general paediatric ward at Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital and contributes to clinical teaching of undergraduate and postgraduate students in the Department of Paediatrics and Child Health at UCT. She trains research teams in developmental and behavioural assessment tools such as the WHO GSED, and collaborates with UCT KidsHub to develop and deliver educational modules for healthcare providers caring for children and adolescents with ADHD.