Pediatric Rheumatology in District of Columbia, Washington

Rheumatological diseases of children are characterized by high complexity of diagnosis. At the initial stages of the disease may be asymptomatic. The main features are: the duration of the high temperature level, the complaint of the child to the pain and aching joints.

The causes of rheumatic diseases: infectious diseases (angina) and hereditary susceptibility to disease.

Diseases of the Pediatric Rheumatologist:

• Arthritis microcrystalline;
• Psoriatic arthritis;
• Reactive arthritis;
• Rheumatoid arthritis;
• Juvenile idiopathic arthritis;
• Lupus systemic lupus;
• Vasculitis systemic;
• Hemorrhagic vasculitis;
• Behcet's syndrome;
• Dermatomyositis and sarcoidosis;
• Familial Mediterranean fever;
• Scleroderma systemic;
• Rheumatism;
• Osteoarthritis;
• Rheumatic diseases of the periarticular soft tissues;
• Ankylosing spondylitis;
• Wegener's granulomatosis;
• Giant cell arteritis;
• Goodpasture's syndrome;
• Thromboangiitis obliterans;
• Periarteritis nodosa;
• Mixed connective tissue disease;
• Sjogren's syndrome.

When to consult a Pediatric Rheumatologist 

Rheumatism in children - In typical cases, the first signs are detected 2-3 weeks after tonsillitis, pharyngitis in the form fever, intoxication, articular syndrome, carditis and other manifestations of the disease.

Rheumatoid arthritis is characterized by acute onset, involvement of large or medium-sized joints (usually the knee, ankle, elbow) in the form mono- or oligoarthritis, the volatility of the defeat, the rapid reverse development of the process.

Cardiac involvement - Complaints cardiac nature (pain in the heart, palpitations, shortness of breath) occur mainly in children at the expressed cardiac disorders. More often, especially in the debut of disease, are observed a variety of asthenic symptoms (lethargy, malaise, fatigue).

Symptoms Rheumatic carditis:

- Violation of the heart rate (tachycardia, rarely - bradycardia);

- Increase in the size of the heart, especially the left;

- Dim the heart sounds, the appearance of systolic murmur.

Pediatric Rheumatology uses the latest methods of treatment of rheumatic diseases in children. For the treatment of rheumatological character use special drugs. Also, the use of many drugs aggressively affects the disease itself, and the body of the child. That is why modern rheumatology is constantly engaged in the search for a more loyal to the drugs that are effective would treat the disease in this group, and side effects of their reception were minimal.