Meeting a... Consultant Paediatrician
Who are you: Avinash Aravamudhan.
Summarise your role: I work across paediatrics covering the children’s ward and neonatal unit. I hold general paediatric and baby clinics and have a special interest in looking after children and young people with diabetes. I cover on-calls for emergencies on the paediatric and neonatal areas.
What do you find challenging about your role: It is incredibly challenging and yet rewarding beyond words. One moment I might be seeing a young person with diabetes who is 18 years old and in employment/university in our transitional clinic and later that day, find myself intubating an extremely premature baby of 24 weeks gestation on the neonatal unit. Being able to customise and deliver high quality care to such a wide-ranging age group, whilst communicating with their incredibly worried parents are inherent challenges of this role.
What do you find rewarding: Being an advocate for the children and young people. Children bounce back amazingly quickly from setbacks and they live in the moment. I find that such a refreshing way to lead one’s life! I have also loved fundraising for SASH Charity including for the current Children’s Appeal. It has provided me with wonderful opportunities of meeting many like-minded people within the Trust and also outside the Trust at some of the running events.
What do you enjoy outside of work: Hiking, running, travelling, star-gazing, unwinding with my family, catching up with friends and relatives abroad and playing fantasy football. Weekends are spent driving my son around various soggy football grounds in Sussex. I also enjoy going to the Jump Start circuits held within the Trust.