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Juvenile Arthritis Center - Grand Rapids, MI

Grand Rapids 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:

Pediatric Rheumatologist Doctors in Grand Rapids *

MSU/KCMS General Pediatrics
Mary D Moore
1000 Oakland Dr
Kalamazoo, MI 49008
(269) 337-6400

Grand Rapids, Michigan

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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 Grand Rapids

  • In case of Emergency, call 911

Nearby Grand Rapids Hospitals *

Helen DeVos Children's Hospital
100 Michigan St NE
Grand Rapids, MI 49503
(616)391-9000

Spectrum Health Butterworth Campus
100 Michigan St NE
Grand Rapids, MI 49503
(616)391-1774

Saint Mary's Health Care
200 Jefferson Ave SE
Grand Rapids, MI 49503
(616)685-6090

Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital
235 Wealthy St SE
Grand Rapids, MI 49503
(800)528-8989

Spectrum Health Kent Community Campus
750 Fuller Ave NE
Grand Rapids, MI 49503
(616)486-3000

Spectrum Health Blodgett Campus
1840 Wealthy St SE
East Grand Rapids, MI 49506
(616)774-7444

Forest View Hospital
1055 Medical Park Dr SE
Grand Rapids, MI 49546
(616)942-9610

Metro Health Hospital
5900 Byron Center Ave SW
Wyoming, MI 49519
(616)252-7200

Pine Rest Christian Mental Health Services
300 68th St SE
Grand Rapids, MI 49548
(616)455-5000

Zeeland Community Hospital
8333 Felch St
Zeeland, MI 49464
(616)772-4644

Spectrum Health United Hospital
615 S Bower St
Greenville, MI 48838
(616)754-4691

Holland Hospital
602 Michigan Ave
Holland, MI 49423
(616)392-5141

North Ottawa Community Hospital
1309 Sheldon Rd
Grand Haven, MI 49417
(616)842-3600

Pennock Hospital
1009 W Green St
Hastings, MI 49058
(269)945-3451

Ionia County Memorial Hospital & Health System
479 Lafayette St
Ionia, MI 48846
(616)527-4200

Mercy Health Partners Mercy Campus
1500 E Sherman Blvd
Muskegon, MI 49444
(231)672-2000

Allegan General Hospital
555 Linn St
Allegan, MI 49010
(269)673-8424

Mercy Health Partners Muskegon General Campus
1700 Oak Ave
Muskegon, MI 49442
(231)672-2000

Mercy Health Partners Hackley Campus
1700 Clinton St
Muskegon, MI 49442
(231)726-3511

Sheridan Community Hospital
301 N Main St
Sheridan, MI 48884
(989)291-3261

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