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Health

Children's health in Berlin

The German system is closer to the French one than the British NHS, with one big difference: insurance is compulsory and the health fund (Krankenkasse) pays doctors directly, with nothing to pay upfront. You freely choose a community paediatrician, the big hospitals have separate children's emergency departments, and the embassy publishes a list of French-speaking practitioners. Here is how it works, with verified addresses.

Verified on 30 October 2026

How German health insurance works

Two schemes coexist: the public funds (gesetzliche Krankenkassen), where the vast majority of employees contribute and which cover spouse and children free, and private insurers, reserved for high earners and the self-employed. In both cases, no carte Vitale: one electronic health card per person.

Good to know

  • Health insurance is compulsory for anyone working or living in Germany. Employees whose income stays below a yearly threshold are compulsorily in the statutory scheme; above it, they may choose private insurance, but returning to the statutory scheme is then tightly restricted. Source
  • In the statutory scheme, family members without work or income (spouse, children) are covered free as dependants (Familienversicherung). You freely choose your fund among the Krankenkassen and can switch. Source
  • With a contracted doctor or dentist, the insured person shows the electronic health card (eGK) and pays nothing upfront: the fund pays the practitioner directly. Privately insured patients pay the consultation and then claim it back. Source
  • No compulsory gatekeeper: you freely choose a GP (Hausarzt) and, for children, a community paediatrician (Kinderarzt), seen directly. For some specialists, a referral from the GP is still customary. Source
  • 116 117 (the out-of-hours doctor) answers 24/7 for anything that cannot wait for surgeries to open; 112 is for life-threatening emergencies. Source

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Finding a paediatrician and baby check-ups

First health step: find a paediatric practice (Kinderarztpraxis) taking new patients, ideally near home. There is no official registration, but practices are full in some districts: start early and ask around.

Good to know

  • The community paediatrician follows the child from birth to adolescence: vaccines, check-ups, common illnesses, hospital referrals. You show the child's health card at each new quarter; there is nothing to pay. Source
  • To find a practice, the official directory of contracted doctors (116 117 Arztsuche) filters by speciality, district and language spoken; the Berlin medical council (Ärztekammer) explains how to choose without recommending names. Source
  • The U1 to U9 preventive check-ups, ten appointments until the child turns 6 (U1 at birth, U2 between day 3 and day 10, then at regular intervals), are covered by insurance; they continue with the J1 in adolescence. Source
  • The local health record is the yellow booklet (gelbes Heft): the paediatrician records the date and results of each check-up, and since 1 January 2026 the Z1 to Z6 dental examinations. It is confidential: neither Kita nor school may demand to read it, the detachable participation card is proof enough. Source
  • If you arrive with a child, bring the French health record to the first appointment: the paediatrician copies the vaccines and check-ups already done into the yellow booklet and a German Impfausweis (vaccination record).

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Emergencies and children's hospitals

Two numbers and one reflex: 112 for life-threatening danger, 116 117 for the out-of-hours doctor, and for a sick child at night or at the weekend, the Kinderrettungsstellen, separate children's emergency departments of the big hospitals, open day and night.

Good to know

  • 112 is the emergency number for life-threatening cases. For everything else, 116 117 reaches the on-call medical service 24/7: it directs you to an out-of-hours practice (Bereitschaftspraxis) staffed by GPs in the evening and at weekends, free from a German phone. Source
  • Kinderrettungsstellen treat children and teenagers separately from adults; Vivantes publishes the live waiting time of each online and reminds families that a 116 117 practice may be enough when it is not urgent. Source
  • On arrival, a nurse registers the child, assesses severity and directs them to the paediatric or paediatric surgery team, both on site; life-threatening cases go first, expect to wait for a fever. Source
  • Bring the child's health card, yellow booklet and vaccination record, plus their usual medicines.

Addresses

  • Charité, Kindernotaufnahme du Campus Virchow-Klinikum

    Emergency

    Augustenburger Platz 1 (Mittelallee 8), 13353 Berlin-Wedding

    The university hospital's children's emergency department, in Wedding, open 24/7: paediatrics and paediatric surgery on site, dedicated children's resuscitation room. Entrance Mittelallee 8 on the campus.

    Website Source

  • Vivantes Klinikum im Friedrichshain, Kinderrettungsstelle

    Emergency

    Landsberger Allee 49, 10249 Berlin-Friedrichshain

    Children's emergency department for the east of the city, with a paediatric clinic; the average waiting time is published online continuously.

    Website Source

  • Vivantes Klinikum Neukölln, Kinderrettungsstelle

    Emergency

    Rudower Straße 48, 12351 Berlin-Neukölln

    Children's emergency department for the south, in a large hospital that also houses a level 1 perinatal centre, paediatrics and neonatal surgery; waiting time online.

    Website Source

  • DRK Kliniken Berlin Westend, Klinik für Kinder- und Jugendmedizin

    Hospital

    Spandauer Damm 130, 14050 Berlin-Charlottenburg

    The west's paediatric clinic (newborns, infants, children and teenagers), with neonatology, a paediatric diabetes centre and neuropaediatrics; the site's central emergency department is open 24/7.

    Website Source

  • Helios Klinikum Berlin-Buch

    Hospital

    Schwanebecker Chaussee 50, 13125 Berlin-Buch

    The north-east's big hospital: emergency centre open 24/7 for adults and children, paediatric clinic and paediatric surgery, maternity unit.

    Website Source

  • St. Joseph Krankenhaus Tempelhof

    Hospital

    Wüsthoffstraße 15, 12101 Berlin-Tempelhof

    The south-west's Catholic hospital, with paediatrics, paediatric surgery and urology, child psychiatry and a maternity unit.

    Website Source

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French-speaking doctors, dentists and therapists

The French embassy publishes a list of French-speaking doctors in Germany, with a Berlin and Brandenburg section updated on 28 October 2026: GPs, dentists, gynaecologists, ENT, speech therapists, physios, psychologists and psychiatrists. It is not exhaustive, relies on information supplied by the practitioners and does not engage the consulates. No paediatrician is on it to date. We list the practitioners most useful to families.

Good to know

  • The official list covers some sixty practitioners in Berlin; full addresses and websites are given, languages spoken only for a few. Before a first appointment, ask whether the practice takes your fund (gesetzlich) or only private patients. Source
  • No French-speaking paediatrician on the embassy's list: look for a Kinderarzt by language in the official 116 117 directory, or near the École Voltaire and the bilingual Kitas where many French-speaking families gather. The paediatric practices cited by Vivre à Berlin do not all state their languages. Source
  • The French-language media complement the list: Vivre à Berlin keeps a participative map of French-speaking doctors and allied professionals, lepetitjournal.com Berlin a directory and the yearly printed Petit Guide de Berlin. Source

Addresses

  • Dr Christopher Marchand

    General practitioner

    Charlottenburg (10627)

    General practitioner, medical adviser to the French embassy; practice shared with Dr Michael Hoffmann, also French-speaking.

    Languages spoken : FR, DE

    Source

  • Dr Olaf Meyer

    General practitioner

    Wedding (13353)

    General practitioner, Seestraße practice in Wedding.

    Languages spoken : FR, DE

    Website Source

  • Dr Susanne Lutz

    General practitioner

    Reinickendorf, Waidmannslust (13509)

    General practitioner, Lutz & Mehner practice in Waidmannslust, in the north.

    Languages spoken : FR, DE

    Website Source

  • Dr Josephine Reiche

    General practitioner

    Reinickendorf, Hermsdorf (13467)

    General practitioner in Hermsdorf, handy for families in Frohnau and Reinickendorf.

    Languages spoken : FR, DE

    Website Source

  • Dr Elsa Joly

    Dentist

    Steglitz (12163)

    French dentist, Feuerbachstraße practice in Steglitz.

    Languages spoken : FR, DE

    Website Source

  • Dr Hadrien Mouly

    Dentist

    Schöneberg (10777)

    French-speaking dentist, Regensburger Straße practice in Schöneberg, a stone's throw from the French schools.

    Languages spoken : FR, DE

    Source

  • Dr Helga Kurth, Sven Kurth & Partner

    Dentist

    Spandau (13595)

    Spandau dental practice with pages in French.

    Languages spoken : FR, DE

    Source

  • Dr Julie de Tristan

    Zehlendorf (14163)

    French-speaking ear, nose and throat specialist (ENT), Zehlendorf practice.

    Languages spoken : FR, DE

    Website Source

  • Sarah Guyard-Schwerdt

    Psychologist

    Prenzlauer Berg (10435)

    Clinical psychologist, children and adults, consultations in French.

    Languages spoken : FR, DE

    Source

  • Anne Pillot

    Psychologist

    Prenzlauer Berg (10405)

    Psychologist and family therapist.

    Languages spoken : FR, DE

    Source

  • Caroline Joubert

    Psychologist

    Prenzlauer Berg (10405)

    French-speaking neuropsychologist: assessments and support for children and adolescents.

    Languages spoken : FR, DE

    Website Source

  • Claire Fontanille

    Psychologist

    Schöneberg (10777)

    Clinical psychologist, systemic and family therapy.

    Languages spoken : FR, DE

    Source

  • Karla Bernat, Centre Pensées

    Psychologist

    Prenzlauer Berg (10437)

    Psychologist (cognitive behavioural therapy) at Centre Pensées, the French-language therapy centre on Schönhauser Allee.

    Languages spoken : FR, DE

    Website Source

  • Amélie Rouche, Psychortho

    Prenzlauer Berg (10437)

    French-speaking speech and language therapist: assessments and therapy in French, invaluable for bilingual children.

    Languages spoken : FR, DE

    Website Source

  • Marie-Elodie Özçam, Praxis Logopädie Sprachbaum

    Neukölln (12055)

    French-speaking speech and language therapist in Neukölln.

    Languages spoken : FR, DE

    Website Source

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Pregnancy and maternity units

In Germany, pregnancy is followed by the community gynaecologist or a midwife (Hebamme), and it is the midwife who will visit you at home after the birth: book her as soon as the test is positive. You register yourself, early, at the maternity unit of your choice.

Good to know

  • All pregnant women are entitled to preventive examinations for themselves and their baby, including three ultrasounds in the regular follow-up; results are recorded in the Mutterpass, to keep with you. Midwives provide pregnancy follow-up, birth care and postnatal home visits (newborn care, breastfeeding). Source
  • Maternity protection (Mutterschutz) starts 6 weeks before the due date and ends 8 weeks after the birth (12 for a premature or multiple birth), with an allowance close to net pay; dismissal is prohibited from pregnancy until four months after delivery. Source
  • Then parental allowance (Elterngeld) takes over: 65% of lost net income, between a floor and a ceiling, for 12 basic months, or twice as long at half the amount with ElterngeldPlus, claimed from the district Elterngeldstelle. Source
  • Maternity units ask for early registration: in Neukölln, you can contact the delivery suite from 12 weeks of pregnancy and choose between the medical Kreißsaal and the Hebammenkreißsaal, led by midwives with the medical team next door if needed. Source

Addresses

  • Charité, Geburtsmedizin (Campus Virchow-Klinikum et Campus Mitte)

    Maternity

    Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353 Berlin et Charitéplatz 1, 10117 Berlin

    The university hospital's maternity units, in Wedding and Mitte; the Mitte campus delivery rooms (Luisenstraße 65) answer day and night.

    Website Source

  • Vivantes Klinikum Neukölln, Geburtsmedizin

    Maternity

    Rudower Straße 48, 12351 Berlin-Neukölln

    Level 1 perinatal centre (high-risk pregnancies, premature babies from 22 weeks), midwife-led delivery suite, registration from 12 weeks and regular information evenings.

    Website Source

  • Helios Klinikum Berlin-Buch, Geburtshilfe

    Maternity

    Schwanebecker Chaussee 50, 13125 Berlin-Buch

    The north-east's maternity unit, expanding to six delivery rooms, with a paediatric clinic on the same site.

    Website Source

  • St. Joseph Krankenhaus Tempelhof, Geburtshilfe

    Maternity

    Wüsthoffstraße 15, 12101 Berlin-Tempelhof

    Maternity unit of the Catholic hospital in Tempelhof, with paediatrics and paediatric surgery on site; Dr de Sousa Mendes, a French-speaking gynaecologist on the embassy's list, consults there.

    Website Source

  • Dr Miguel de Sousa Mendes

    Charlottenburg (10719)

    French-speaking obstetrician-gynaecologist, prenatal diagnosis, Kurfürstendamm practice and consultations at St. Joseph Krankenhaus.

    Languages spoken : FR, DE

    Website Source

  • Dr Sybille Görlitz-Novakovic

    Charlottenburg (10629)

    French-speaking obstetrician-gynaecologist, Wilmersdorfer Straße practice.

    Languages spoken : FR, DE

    Website Source

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Pharmacies and medicines

The red-cross Apotheken are plentiful and happy to advise, but forget the supermarket medicine aisle: in Germany, even paracetamol is only sold in pharmacies. And Doliprane does not exist, look for Paracetamol.

Good to know

  • The law reserves the sale of medicines to pharmacies (Apothekenpflicht): painkillers, syrups and nasal sprays are neither in supermarkets nor in drugstores, but online pharmacies are allowed. Source
  • At night, on Sundays and public holidays, an on-duty pharmacy (Notdienst) is always open in your area: the aponet.de directory finds it by postcode, up to two weeks ahead; a small night fee applies from 20:00 to 6:00, unless the prescription is marked 'noctu'. Source
  • Equivalents: Paracetamol (syrup or 'Fieberzäpfchen' suppositories) for Doliprane, Ibuprofen (Nurofen Junior) for Advil, 'Kochsalzlösung' or sea-water spray for saline, 'Zahnungsgel' for teething. Spasfon and many French syrups have no equivalent.
  • A French prescription is valid across the EU if it bears the patient's name and date of birth, the date, the prescriber's details and signature, and the drug's common name with form, quantity and dosage; the pharmacist applies German rules and generally asks for a paper version. Source
  • With the health card, the pharmacy bills the fund directly; have long-term treatments renewed by your German doctor rather than bringing boxes back from France.

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Vaccines: how the schedule differs from France

The German schedule, set by the STIKO commission, broadly resembles the French one, with three differences: nothing is compulsory except measles, required to enter Kita or school, chickenpox is vaccinated from age one, and BCG is gone.

Good to know

  • Since 1 March 2020, the measles protection act requires, for any child aged at least one entering Kita, a childminder's or school, proof of vaccination (record) or immunity; it is the only vaccine mandate. In France, eleven vaccinations are compulsory. Source
  • Baby: rotavirus from 6 weeks; six-in-one (diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio, Hib, hepatitis B) and pneumococcal at 2, 4 and 11 months; meningococcal B at 2, 4 and 12 months; measles-mumps-rubella and chickenpox at 11 and 15 months. Newborns also receive an RSV antibody before their first winter. Source
  • Older children: tetanus-diphtheria-pertussis boosters at 5 to 6 then between 9 and 16 with polio, HPV for girls and boys aged 9 to 14 in two doses, and meningococcal ACWY at 12 to 14. Source
  • Differences with France: chickenpox, absent from the French schedule, is vaccinated in Germany; BCG is no longer recommended there; flu is not routinely offered to healthy children. The French schedule counts for doses already received. Source
  • The paediatrician vaccinates during the U check-ups and keeps the vaccination record (Impfausweis); the STIKO reminds that a complete schedule should be reached before entering group childcare and at the latest on starting school. Source

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These landmarks do not replace the advice of a health professional. In an emergency, call the local emergency number shown above.

A place has closed, something has changed? Tell us: the mums of Berlin will thank you.

Sources for this page

The public pages these landmarks come from. The official website always prevails.

  1. 1 Ambassade de France en Allemagne, médecins francophones (liste de notoriété)
  2. 2 CLEISS, assurance maladie et maternité en Allemagne
  3. 3 116 117, médecin de garde
  4. 4 Charité, Kindernotaufnahme du Campus Virchow-Klinikum
  5. 5 Vivantes, Kinderrettungsstelle Friedrichshain
  6. 6 kindergesundheit-info.de, les bilans U1 à U9
  7. 7 RKI, calendrier vaccinal STIKO 2026
  8. 8 infektionsschutz.de, loi sur la protection contre la rougeole

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