Chronic Conditions in Children

While many children will have to face certain health problems such as the common cold or “stomach bug” at some point during their childhood, most of these issues aren’t serious and will go away on their own; however, other children face chronic and long-term health conditions that affect their daily lives if they don’t receive proper care. This is when it’s important to have a pediatrician by your side to help provide the quality and extensive treatment and care your little one needs to keep symptoms under control.

A chronic health condition is one that your child has had for at least a few months, it often affects day-to-day life and it might require frequent and specialized care, whether at home or through a medical team. While a child may be born with or develop a chronic disorder this doesn’t mean that they will experience symptoms all of the time. Some chronic conditions in children include:

  • Asthma
  • Diabetes
  • Cystic fibrosis
  • Developmental disabilities (e.g. ADHD)
  • Cerebral palsy
  • Obesity

While chronic health conditions can happen to any child, some of these problems can be avoided with proper medical care, physical activity, and a healthy lifestyle. Furthermore, leading a healthy life can also keep symptoms under control if your child has already been diagnosed with a chronic condition. Of course, it’s also important that your little one has a children’s doctor that will be able to provide treatment and care whenever necessary to lessen the effect that the condition may have on day-to-day life.

Chronic conditions can be the result of genetics, or it may be that certain environmental or prenatal factors came into play; however, regardless of the cause, it is important that your child has a pediatric medical team that they trust to provide comprehensive health care. After all, with a chronic condition you will be seeing your pediatrician more often and relying on them for consistent and thorough care. Children with chronic conditions will often need to come in more frequently for treatment, medications and other health needs.

Every kid takes their diagnosis differently, and a lot will depend on the age of your little one and how much the condition impacts their everyday life. Again, this is another reason why every child should have a team of pediatric specialists in which to turn. Besides providing medical care, a children’s doctor can also offer emotional support and comfort during times of need. We can also address any questions or concerns you might have to help your child adjust to their new diagnosis.

Questions or Comments?

At Harvest Pediatrics, we encourage you to contact us whenever you have a concern or question related to your care.
You can reach us at:


Napa: (707) 252-1076
St. Helena: (707) 963-0171

Our Location

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Hours of Operation

Closed daily between 12:00 PM and 1:30 PM for lunch.

Napa Office

Monday:

8:30 am-6:00 pm

Tuesday:

8:30 am-6:00 pm

Wednesday:

8:30 am-6:00 pm

Thursday:

8:30 am-5:00 pm

Friday:

8:30 am-5:00 pm

Saturday:

Closed

Sunday:

Closed

St. Helena Office

Monday:

8:30 am-5:00 pm

Tuesday:

8:30 am-5:00 pm

Wednesday:

8:30 am-5:00 pm

Thursday:

8:30 am-5:00 pm

Friday:

8:30 am-5:00 pm

Saturday:

Closed

Sunday:

Closed