Brave three-year-old’s battle with Guillain-Barre syndrome and the doctor who helped him

This Aussie couple faced every parent’s worst nightmare when their little boy was struck down.

Pediatric Neurologist Dr Trupti Jadhav with Nate Clelland and his parents Alex and Jess Clelland. Picture: Supplied

An Aussie couple faced every parent’s worst nightmare when their little boy was suddenly struck down with a rare auto-immune disorder.

When three-year-old Nate Clelland first became unwell, his condition deteriorated rapidly, leaving his family in a state of panic.

Rushed to Townsville University Hospital (TUH), it quickly became clear that Nate was suffering from several concerning neurological symptoms.

Thanks to an early diagnosis by paediatric neurologist Dr Trupti Jadhav, Nate was able to be quickly treated for Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS), a rare auto-immune disorder where the immune system attacks the nerves.

Within a couple of weeks, he had made a remarkable recovery.

“While it was very scary for my husband and I to navigate this with our little boy, we were so grateful for the timely and prompt care he received,” said Jessica Clelland, Nate’s mother.

“We were thankful to learn that Dr Trupti had only in the preceding months joined the hospital as a specialised paediatric neurologist.”

Dr Trupti Jadhav is the first paediatric neurology specialist at TUH, a long-awaited addition for the North Queensland community. “My goal is to build a paediatric neurology unit at TUH so all investigations and interventions can be done locally,” Dr Jadhav said.

Townsville University Hospital’s director of paediatrics Dr Andrew White

“The burden of travelling to Brisbane and the impact on families cannot be understated. There is immense potential for our hospital to grow and expand its resources so that more of our patients can access local care, especially across our rural and remote communities.”

Clinical director of paediatrics, Dr Andrew White, emphasised the importance of local paediatric specialists as neurological care continues to grow in complexity.

“We are delighted that Dr Trupti could join our team this year, moving from a position at Melbourne Children’s Hospital,” he said.

“Her arrival means specialist care is available locally, and patients like Nate don’t have to be transferred to Brisbane or talk to a specialist on telehealth.”

In recent years, the Townsville Hospital and Health Service has supported the development of local paediatric specialties in cardiology and respiratory medicine, with plans to further expand into neurology.

Dr White added, “In the last three years, we have made significant strides, and we are looking to do more in neurology.”

Jessica Clelland expressed immense gratitude for the care Nate received in Townsville. He

spent eight days in the hospital but required ongoing treatment after his discharge.

Originally published as Brave three-year-old’s battle with Guillain-Barre syndrome and the doctor who helped him