Viewer Question:

I need information about SLE and teenage girls or the incidence in children.
Signed, MM

Doctor's Response:

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus is rare in young children.  In fact, very few cases occur before the age of 5 years.  Few cases occur between 5 and 10 years of age.  Girls are more frequently affected than boys. 

As opposed to teenagers and adult lupus patients, who are 80-90% female, in lupus children less than 10 years of age, are only approximately 70% female.  When lupus occurs in childhood, it frequently indicates a strong family susceptibility to lupus or related immune disease.

Thank you for your question.