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Juvenile Arthritis Center - Altoona, PA

Altoona Pediatric Rheumatologist Doctors for Juvenile Arthritis

Type of Physician: Pediatric Rheumatologist

What is a Pediatric Rheumatologist?

A subspecialty certification by the Board of Pediatrics; practitioners treat the infant, child, or adolescent with rheumatic disease (causing painful disability in the muscles, tendons, bones, joints or nerves). He or she also participates in the prevention, understanding, and treatment of the various rheumatic disorders and also promotes understanding of the basic mechanisms of the disease in the interrelated areas of immunology, genetics, inflammation, and infectious diseases.

Specialty: Pediatric Rheumatology

Common Name:

Altoona, Pennsylvania

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Juvenile Arthritis (Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis)

Arthritis in childhood? Isn't that only an old person's disease?

Most laypeople and many doctors fail to appreciate that arthritis in children exists. For the children affected and their families, education about the condition is essential. Many children suffer for months or years before the diagnosis of arthritis is thought of and proper treatment begun. But the problem doesn't end there. Children with arthritis frequently experience difficulty because their teachers and schoolmates don't understand that children can develop arthritis. They have no idea what to expect from the child with arthritis or about the nature of the illness. As a result, when the child is finally diagnosed with arthritis, the family may be told just to put them in a wheelchair because "nothing can be done." This is entirely wrong!

How common is arthritis in children?

Arthritis affects approximately one child in every 1,000 in a given year. Fortunately, most of these cases are mild. However, approximately one child in every 10,000 will have more severe arthritis that doesn't just go away. Many children have what is called an acute inflammatory arthritis following a viral or bacterial infection. This arthritis is often quite severe for a brief period but usually disappears within a few weeks or months. Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA) is the most common type of arthritis that persists for months or years at a time. Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis is also now called juvenile arthritis or juvenile arthritis of unknown cause (juvenile idiopathic arthritis).

What are the signs, symptoms, and treatment of the different forms of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis?

There are three main forms of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA), which are classified by how they begin. These forms are pauciarticular (less than four joints affected), polyarticular (four or more joints affected), and syste...

Recommended Reading Related to Juvenile Arthritis (Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis)

Kawasaki Disease »

Kawasaki's disease facts

  • Kawasaki's disease is a syndrome of unknown cause that mainly strikes young children.
  • Signs of the disease include fever and redness of the eyes, hands, feet, mouth, and tongue.
  • The disease can be treated with high doses of aspirin (salicylic acid) and gammaglobulin.
  • Kawasaki's disease usually resolves on its own within a month or two.
  • Some children with Kawasaki's disease suffer damage to the coronary arteries.

What is Kawasaki's disease, and how is it diagnosed?

Kawasaki's disease is an uncommon illness in children that is characterized by high fever of at least five days' duration together with at least four of the following five findings:

  1. Inflammation with reddening of the whites of the eyes (conjunctivitis) without pus
  2. Redness or swelling of the hands or feet, or generalized skin peeli...

Emergency Contact for Altoona

  • In case of Emergency, call 911

Nearby Altoona Hospitals *

Altoona Regional Health System Bon Secours Hospital Campus
2500 7th Ave
Altoona, PA 16602
(814)889-2011

Altoona Regional Hospital
620 Howard Ave
Altoona, PA 16601
(814)889-2011

James E Van Zandt VA Medical Center
2907 Pleasant Valley Blvd
Altoona, PA 16602
(814)943-8164

HEALTHSOUTH Altoona Rehabilitation Hospital
2005 Valley View Blvd
Altoona, PA 16602
(814)944-3535

Nason Hospital
105 Nason Dr
Roaring Spring, PA 16673
(814)224-2141

Tyrone Hospital
One Hospital Dr
Tyrone, PA 16686
(814)684-1255

Miners Medical Center
290 Haida Ave
Hastings, PA 16646
(814)247-3100

J C Blair Memorial Hospital
1225 Warm Springs Ave
Huntingdon, PA 16652
(814)643-2290

Windber Medical Center
600 Somerset Ave
Windber, PA 15963
(814)467-3000

Crichton Rehabilitation Center
320 Main St
Johnstown, PA 15901
(814)255-6800

Memorial Medical Center Lee Campus
320 Main St
Johnstown, PA 15901
(814)534-6000

Good Samaritan Medical Center
1020 Franklin St
Johnstown, PA 15905
(814)534-9000

Memorial Medical Center
1086 Franklin St
Johnstown, PA 15905
(814)534-9000

Select Specialty Hospital Johnstown
1086 Franklin St
Johnstown, PA 15905
(814)534-5000

UPMC Bedford Memorial
10455 Lincoln Hwy
Everett, PA 15537
(814)623-6161

Mount Nittany Medical Center
1800 E Park Ave
State College, PA 16803
(814)231-7000

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