If your child experiences joint pain, swelling, or frequent illnesses, the cause could be an immune disorder or a rheumatic condition, like arthritis. Visit the team of specialists at University Health. They diagnose and treat these health issues in children.
What Does Your Immune System Do?
Your child’s immune system—made up of organs, cells and tissues—protects the body from infection and disease. Usually, the immune system knows when to fight invaders and heal injuries and when to stop or slow down those functions.
Sometimes, there’s a problem with the immune system. Instead of slowing down, it keeps responding. It can’t fight off the infection or attack healthy tissue in the body rather than healing it. This can cause long-lasting pain and swelling (inflammation). When these problems happen, they cause immune system disorders and autoimmune diseases.
Pediatric Autoimmune Conditions
The board-certified pediatric immunologists at University Health diagnose and treat many immune system and autoimmune conditions. This includes arthritis, lupus and long-term muscle and joint pain.
Symptoms of Autoimmune Conditions
As a parent, watch for these symptoms, which might indicate your child has an autoimmune condition:
- Joint swelling, stiffness, pain or redness
- Prolonged fever
- Rash that won’t go away
Pediatric Primary Immune Deficiency
If your child’s newborn screening identifies a genetic defect, they may have recurrent or rare infections later in life. Your child will get a referral to our doctors for more testing and a diagnosis of an immune deficiency.
Your First Visit with a Pediatric Immunologist
At the first appointment, we’ll ask about your child’s symptoms. Your doctor will then perform a thorough physical exam and go over your child's medical history. This visit usually takes about 30 minutes.
Testing
Your doctor might order lab or imaging tests to gather more information before diagnosing your child’s illness. The best way to tell if your child has an autoimmune condition is through blood tests, such as:
• Antinuclear antibody (ANA) test
• Rheumatoid factor (RF) test
• Complete blood count (CBC)
• Comprehensive metabolic panel
Treatment Options
After the diagnosis, your doctor will work with you to create a treatment plan. Depending on your child’s condition, your doctor may recommend one or more treatment options. These may include:
• Anti-inflammatory medications
• Immunosuppressive medications
• Infusion of monoclonal antibodies
• Pain management
• Physical therapy
• Intravenous (IV) or injection immunoglobulin replacement therapy (IVIg, SCIG) to strengthen the immune system
Comprehensive Pediatric Care
Your doctor may work with other specialists to ensure your child receives treatment from every angle.