Pediatric Rheumatology: Treating Childhood Inflammatory and Autoimmune Diseases

Juvenile autoimmune or autoinflammatory conditions are rare, affecting only about 5% of children worldwide.

But if your child complains of joint or muscle pain, swelling that lasts more than a week or two, stiffness, unexplained fevers, loss of appetite, or fatigue, it may be time for a referral to a pediatric rheumatologist at Lehigh Valley Reilly Children’s Hospital, part of Jefferson Health.

While diseases like rheumatoid arthritis and lupus are often thought of as chronic conditions affecting older adults, children also can suffer from these types of disorders. 

Pediatric rheumatologists treat such conditions as:

• Juvenile idiopathic arthritis – a common type of arthritis in teenagers and children.
• Systemic lupus erythematosus – in which the body’s immune system attacks healthy tissue.
• Kawasaki disease – inflammation of blood vessel walls.
• Juvenile dermatomyositis – an inflammatory disease that causes muscle weakness and skin rashes.
• Scleroderma – abnormal thickening and hardening of the skin.

Pediatric rheumatologists are physicians who have completed the three-year pediatric training program after medical school and another three-year training in pediatric rheumatology.

It’s not the same as adult rheumatology, because children and adolescents have unique medical needs and symptoms that differ from those of adults.

Autoimmune and autoinflammatory diseases are complex medical conditions that can affect infants, children, and adolescents. They are best managed by specialists who are attuned to not only the latest advances in pediatric rheumatological care, but also to the special needs of families at a stressful time.

For an appointment, see your primary care clinician for an evaluation and possible referral.