A pediatric rheumatologist is a specialist in the evaluation and treatment of rheumatologic disorders that affect both children and adolescents, focusing on the musculoskeletal system and connective tissues.
Rheumatology
In broad terms, rheumatology is the specialty that diagnoses and treats diseases affecting the muscles, bones, joints, and connective tissues.
It treats a wide variety of conditions ranging from common situations such as arthritis or less frequent problems to certain autoimmune diseases.
To achieve this, a rheumatologist specializes in evaluating symptoms, making accurate diagnoses, and offering treatment plans.
One of the primary roles of a rheumatologist is to identify rheumatologic diseases through clinical assessment, laboratory testing, and imaging studies.
Treatments vary and may include the use of medications, physical therapies, and, in some cases, surgery.
What is a pediatric rheumatologist
Within the field of rheumatology, there are pediatric rheumatologists, who have both general training in the specialty and specific expertise in the care of pediatric patients.
The role of the rheumatologist treating young patients is fundamental to ensuring proper diagnosis and treatment of these diseases, which can have a significant impact on their well-being and development.
What diseases does a pediatric rheumatologist treat
It is helpful to know which diseases a pediatric rheumatologist treats, as well as their characteristics:
- Juvenile idiopathic arthritis: one of the most common rheumatologic diseases in children, characterized by joint inflammation and which may manifest in only a few joints or in many.
- Systemic lupus erythematosus: an autoimmune disease that affects multiple body systems such as the skin, joints, or kidneys; for this reason, its symptoms can vary widely and initially complicate diagnosis.
- Pediatric multiple sclerosis: a rare disease compared to adults, in which the central nervous system is affected.
- Psoriatic arthritis: it can occur in children who live with psoriasis, but it is also possible for it to develop in children without skin symptoms; it is characterized by joint inflammation.
- Sjögren’s syndrome: a condition with low incidence in children, characterized by dry eyes and mouth, as well as joint inflammation.
- Fibromyalgia: although it is more commonly developed in adults, it can also occur in children and adolescents; it is characterized by widespread pain, fatigue, and sleep problems.
- Autoimmune diseases: there are multiple conditions in this category that can cause vasculitis, inflammatory myopathies, or ankylosing spondylitis, to name a few examples.
- Connective tissue diseases: conditions that may include syndromes such as Ehlers-Danlos syndrome or Marfan syndrome.
These are just some examples of the diseases that the rheumatologist diagnoses and of what they do when diagnosing. Early intervention is crucial to ensure proper diagnosis and effective treatment; achieving early detection of these conditions can prevent long-term complications, including deterioration in quality of life or disability, all with the support of other specialties such as rheumatology physical therapy, pediatric immunology, pediatric orthopedics, to name a few.
Pediatric rheumatologist near me
At ABC Medical Center’s Pediatrics Center, we have a team of pediatric rheumatology specialists who are highly trained and dedicated to providing comprehensive, personalized care for all your rheumatologic needs.
Our pediatric rheumatologists in Mexico City (CDMX) are committed to your well-being and use the latest technology and the most advanced treatments to manage conditions such as juvenile idiopathic arthritis, juvenile dermatomyositis, Kawasaki disease, and more.
Fuentes:
Healthy Children, Elsevier, Childrens.com
