Pediatric Rheumatology

The Section of Rheumatology is dedicated to providing the highest level of care to children with Rheumatic Diseases.  The section's goals are to:

• Promote the highest quality interdisciplinary assessment and management practices to optimize child functioning and family support
• Serve as a resource to primary care practitioners for children with rheumatic diseases
• Enhance training and awareness of pediatric rheumatic diseases through education of medical students and residents
• Engage in research so patients and families will benefit from the best clinical and scientific advances with the highest standards of ethics, professionalism, and advocacy

Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Juvenile Dermatomyositis Systemic Sclerosis/ Scleroderma Linear Scleroderma/Morphea Sarcoidosis Spondyloarthropathy and Sacroiliitis Psoriatic Arthritis Fibromyalgia and Chronic Pain Periodic Fever Syndromes Sjogren’s Syndrome

Chronic Recurrent Multifocal Osteomyelitis Henoch-Schonlein Purpura Kawasaki’s Disease ANCA-associated vasculitis Takayasu’s Arteritis Polyarteritis Nodosa Reactive and Post-infectious Arthritis Acute Rheumatic Fever Inflammatory eye disease like Uveitis Mixed Connective Tissue Disease Lyme Arthritis

The Section of Rheumatology provides care to children from a wide geographic region. Patients are seen at Comer Children’s Hospital in Chicago satellite offices in Chicagoland suburbs as well as Merrillville, Indiana. The service includes three board certified Pediatric Rheumatologists, pediatric rheumatology fellows, a registered nurse, social worker, and research coordinator.  Each year the rheumatology service sees greater than1500 outpatient visits and takes care of many children while hospitalized.  The section has expertise on a wide range of clinical syndromes and facility with all current therapeutic options including biologic therapies. 

The University of Chicago is the only center in Illinois with a dedicated pediatric lupus clinic.  This is a multi-disciplinary clinic where patients see a rheumatologist, pharmacist, nurse educator, social worker, and meet other patients and parents who have lupus.  Patients also see a nephrologist if needed at this comprehensive appointment. Families and patients have the opportunity to participate in research surrounding childhood lupus as part of this clinic.

Comer Children’s Hospital also has a dedicated chronic musculoskeletal pain clinic . This clinic provides evaluation, treatment planning, and referral services to children with amplified musculoskeletal pain, chronic regional pain syndrome, and related conditions. The chronic pain clinic provides patients with initial child psychology evaluation and therapeutic massage treatment from a certified massage therapist, in addition to medical evaluation by a pediatric rheumatologist.

The University of Chicago is also the only rheumatology program in Illinois to have a rheumatologist who is trained in both adult and pediatric rheumatology who works closely with both programs to ensure continued care of patients as they become adults and transition their rheumatology care to an adult provider.  This unique training also allows for addressing important issues like contraception, preconception planning, and pregnancy in patients with rheumatic diseases.