Pediatric rheumatic diseases are conditions that affect bones, muscles, joints and related connective tissues in children and adolescents. Such disorders are characterised by pain and swelling of joints, but they can also affect other parts of the body such as the eyes, skin and gastrointestinal tract.
1. Arthritis:
Several varieties of arthritis are seen to affect children. Such diseases cause joint pain accompanied by stiffness and swelling, and some variants also affect the spine. Pediatric arthritis can have complications like affected growth, vision problems and joint damage.
Common disease: Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis
Other diseases: Psoriatic Arthritis, Juvenile Ankylosing Spondylitis, Reactive Arthritis
2. Auto-immune disease (Connective tissue disease):
Auto-immune diseases involve a malfunctioning immune system mistakenly attacking healthy cells and tissues in the child's body. Such conditions affect the skin and other connective tissues, causing rashes and inflammation, but they may also affect internal organs and the digestive tract.
Common disease: Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, Juvenile Dermatomyositis
Other diseases: Anti-phospholipid Syndrome, Scleroderma, Mixed Connective Tissue Disorder
3. Vasculitis:
Vasculitis is a category of diseases causing inflammation of the blood vessels. The reduced blood flow may affect various tissues and organs such as the skin, heart, kidneys and the central nervous system.
Common disease: Kawasaki Disease, Henoch-Schönlein Purpura
Other diseases: Polyarteritis Nodosa, Takayasu's Arteritis, ANCA-associated Vasculitis, Sarcoidosis, Behçet’s Disease, Central Nervous System Vasculitis.