Treatment for Chronic Rheumatic and Autoimmune Disorders in Children and
Adolescents
At the Children’s Hospital New Orleans, our board-certified pediatric
rheumatologists provide consultation, treatment, diagnosis, and care facilities
for young people with joint disorders. The program is run in collaboration
with the Pediatric Rheumatology Collaborative Study Group (PRCSG), a national
network of pediatric rheumatology clinicians and researchers created to
foster, facilitate and conduct high-quality clinical research in the field
of pediatric rheumatology. Each patient we see is treated by a multidisciplinary
team including a nurse coordinator, physical therapists, occupational
therapists, registered dietitians, and social workers.
What are rheumatic and autoimmune disorders?
Some of the most common reasons a primary care doctor refers young patients
to a pediatric rheumatologist include evidence of joint swelling and stiffness,
ongoing and unexplained fevers, rashes, fatigue, and chronic inflammation.
Pediatric rheumatologists have specialized training to diagnose and treat
autoimmune disorders in youngsters.
Like many chronic illnesses, rheumatic and autoimmune conditions are subject
to misdiagnosis. This is particularly true in children, where the complex
array of chronic rheumatic diseases fluctuate in severity and make them
more difficult to detect, which in turn can cause life-threatening complications.
Children may also experience significant, even permanent problems that
can affect different aspects of their growth, development, and overall
quality of life. Because of these reasons, early diagnosis is essential
for proper management and to prevent long-term complications.
Conditions our team treats
Rheumatic and autoimmune conditions often involve multiple organ systems
and a patient who seeks medical treatment must have a doctor with a broad
familiarity with internal medicine. Our child-friendly, family-focused
multidisciplinary treatment teams take an individualized approach to each
patient’s care and utilize the most up-to-date technology to ensure
they receive the highest-quality care.
Management expertise includes, but is not limited to:
What to expect when your child sees a pediatric rheumatologist
During your child’s first visit with a pediatric rheumatologist,
you will have the opportunity to discuss your child’s symptoms and
your family’s medical history. They will conduct a complete physical
exam, and review any related lab work or imaging studies. If a diagnosis
cannot be made at this first appointment, a follow-up visit may be scheduled
to review additional tests. Examples of tests your child’s doctor
may recommend include additional imaging scans, lab tests, respiratory
function tests, biopsies, nerve conduction studies, or joint aspiration.
