The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare defined disabling chronic illness in children as ‘a disability which restricts a child’s ability to perform tasks associated with daily living. Chronic illness in childhood has massive physical, social and psychological effects on families who, in addition to fulfilling their usual duties, roles and obligations, are expected to meet the needs arising from the child’s illness. This constitutes a severe disruption to the ordinary continuity of family life.
Common chronic childhood diseases are:
-Asthma
-Cystic Fibrosis
-Diabetes
-Cerebral Palsy
-Genetic syndromes and metabolic conditions
-Mental health illness including Autism, ADHD
Apart from providing comprehensive assessment and management of chronic childhood illness, Dr Gupta is passionate about advocating for his patients who need special resources and services. He provides the continuity of care by liaising with all the teams involved and supports the family by supporting families to understand their child’s difficulties and acting as a navigator for the services.
