Having a baby or a child with a disability or other serious condition can trigger a whole range of differing, and sometimes conflicting, emotions. Just a few words which you often hear are ‘challenging’, ‘draining’, ‘exhausting’ yet also ‘inspiring’, ‘special’ and ‘rewarding’.

With long stays in hospital, time away from home, separation from the rest of the family and ongoing treatments which might involve surgery, medication or require the use of specialist equipment, the everyday life of the whole family can be affected. Often families can feel isolated or alone, especially when a child is diagnosed with an unusual or particularly rare condition.

As a medical research charity, Sparks is dedicated to funding high quality medical research into conditions which affect babies, children and mums-to-be and we are well placed to provide information on the research projects and developments that we are funding. But we also recognise that families face many other challenges which cannot be overcome by research alone. You may have a need for specific information, specialist advice or practical support. There are lots of different organisations who can meet these needs.

NHS Choices can be a good starting point for finding out more about particular conditions.