Pediatric Rheumatology at Wellstar Children's Hospital of Georgia
The pediatric rheumatology experts at Wellstar Children’s Hospital of Georgia help diagnose and treat children suffering from juvenile arthritis and other pediatric inflammatory disorders of the joints, bones and soft tissues. We are dedicated to delivering patient- and family-centered care, knowing that families and caregivers play a major role in decision-making and provide important input into the care of their children.
Expert Care for Children with Inflammatory Disorders
Expert Care
Pediatric rheumatologists care for infants, children and adolescents with rheumatologic and inflammatory disorders. These conditions happen when the body’s immune system attacks the joints, bones, muscles, blood vessels and other tissues. It is difficult to say why this happens with the immune system does. Some experts say it may be genetic, while others believe the causes may be triggered by a viral infection. These disorders appear most often in girls, though boys are sometimes affected.Personalized & specialized care for your child
At Wellstar Children’s Hospital of Georgia, our aim is to relieve joint pain in children, prevent joint changes and control the spread of inflammation to organs and other parts of the body. We pay close attention to your child’s emotional development, physical growth and how they cope with the effects of inflammation. Our team is uniquely qualified to treat childhood inflammatory diseases, delivering comprehensive care. At our office and at Wellstar Children’s, young patients receive specialized care from a board-certified pediatric rheumatologist, a pediatrician and a nurse navigator. We work closely with your child’s care team to help them closely monitor your child’s progress. In addition to having the area’s only pediatric rheumatology team, we collaborate with other specialists to personalize your child’s care. Our broader team includes pediatric nephrologists (kidney), ophthalmologists (eye), orthopedic surgeons, pediatric radiologists, pediatric psychiatrists and psychologists, physical therapists and other intensivists.Diagnostic Tests and Procedures
We use the latest tests and procedures to diagnose and treat children with rheumatologic and inflammatory disorders including:- Blood tests
- MRI
- Skin or muscle biopsy
Treatments for Rheumatologic Disorders
- Medication, such as corticosteroids, can be used to manage symptoms and reduce inflammation.
- Biologics agents are medications that target inflammatory cytokines to block inflammatory signals.
Patient Resources
- Camp Joint Venture: We have a special overnight summer camp for children diagnosed with rheumatologic disease.
- Arthritis Foundation: For additional information about juvenile idiopathic arthritis
- Lupus Foundation of America
- American College of Rheumatology
Conditions We Treat
- Juvenile dermatomyositis, inflammation of the muscles and skin that causes muscle weakness and a patchy purple-red rash
- Fever of unknown origin (or periodic fever syndromes), prolonged fever of over 101° that cannot be explained by infection or repeated fevers accompanied by inflammation without infection
- Juvenile idiopathic arthritis, causing swelling of the joints
- Benign hypermobility joint syndrome, extreme joint flexibility that is often accompanied by pain and stiffness
- Kawasaki disease, inflammation of the arteries leading to the heart
- Lupus, an autoimmune condition when the body attacks its own organs and tissues and can cause a characteristic “butterfly” rash on the face
- Sjögren syndrome, an autoimmune disorder primarily affecting the salivary and tear-producing glands and causing severe dryness of the eyes and mouth
- Sarcoidosis, an inflammatory disorder affecting the lungs, kidneys, joints and eyes
- Vasculitis, or inflammation of the blood vessels such as Henoch-Schönlein purpura, Takayasu arteritis and Behcet’s disease
- Autoimmune uveitis, disorders causing inflammation in the eyes
- Autoinflammatory bone disorders, such as chronic recurrent multifocal osteomyelitis
- Scleroderma, a disease that causes hardening or thickening of the skin and connective tissues