Children's Rheumatology

Expert Care for Kids with Rheumatic Conditions

The team at Sanford Children’s is here to help your kid keep moving. Our experts will help diagnose, treat and manage diseases, including autoimmune and autoinflammatory disorders, that affect your child’s joints, muscles, bones, tendons and ligaments.

Home to the region’s only pediatric rheumatologists, we go beyond caring for only children’s arthritis and offer care for all pediatric rheumatic conditions. Together with their primary care provider, our team will create a care plan that’s unique to your child’s specific needs.

For physicians: Refer a patient to Sanford Health.

Common Rheumatic Conditions in Kids

Rheumatic diseases can cause swelling, stiffness, pain, rash and other symptoms in many parts of the body. If you notice anything concerning, talk with your child’s primary care provider or call one of our pediatric specialty sites. 

Our specialists can treat and manage these conditions and more in children:

Juvenile idiopathic arthritis is a form of arthritis that causes joint inflammation in children that leads to swelling, stiffness and loss of motion.

Lupus is a disease caused by an overactive immune system that impacts the skin, joints and organ systems.

Psoriatic arthritis is a form of arthritis that is associated with the skin disease psoriasis. Symptoms include joint swelling and inflammation, or arthritis, and a red, scaly rash.

We also treat:

• Vasculitis 
• Scleroderma
• Behcet’s syndrome 
• Sjogren’s syndrome
• Raynaud’s syndrome
• Autoinflammatory syndromes
• Juvenile dermatomyositis (JDM)
• Henoch-Schönlein purpura (HSP)
• Juvenile spondyloarthropathies, or enthesitis-related arthritis (ERA)
• Chronis recurrent multifocal osteomyelitis (CRMO), or chronic nonbacterial osteomyelitis (CNO)

Your child’s rheumatologist will work closely with physical therapists, occupational therapists and other specialists to help manage their condition and improve their quality of life. 

Living with Rheumatic Conditions

Children with rheumatic disorders can participate normally in most childhood activities and do not have to live a limited lifestyle. Before starting a new activity, check with their provider to discuss any limitations or necessary adaptations. 

Find A Pediatric Rheumatologist Near You