Is lupus in children possible? Lupus inflict persons in any age group, including children. It has been found to be more prevalent among young girls, especially those in the age group of 11 to 15 years.
Lupus is a disease that can cause inflammation in any part or organ of the body including the heart, kidneys, blood cells, joints and lungs.
Four Types of Lupus SLE
The four types of lupus are systemic lupus erythematosus, discoid lupus erythematosus, drug-induced lupus erythematosus and neonatal lupus.
The most common type of lupus out of these four types is systemic lupus erythematosus SLE, which can affect any part of the body including joints, kidney, skin and blood.
Discoid lupus erythematosus, on the other hand, affects only the skin.
Drug-induced lupus erythematosus is associated with certain medications, while lupus that affects newborn babies is referred to as neonatal lupus.
Symptoms of Neonatal Lupus
Symptoms of lupus in children can be mild or severe, depending upon the affected part of the body. They can develop quickly or gradually and can be temporary or permanent. Lupus symptoms can wear off for a while and then reappear, which are referred to as lupus flares, during which the symptoms usually increase in extent making the patient feel more exhausted. The indications and symptoms of lupus also vary significantly from patient to patient. Some individuals may experience inflammation only in joints and skin, while in others, lupus can affect several parts of the body.
Lupus Treatment
There is no cure for this disease at present. Treatment of lupus in children is mainly focused towards alleviating the symptoms and preventing future lupus flares. Treatment options would greatly rely on the general health and well-being of the child, the organs that are affected by the disease, the severity of the disease, and what medications and therapies he or she can tolerate.
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are suggested, in general, for mild inflammation. Steroids can also be required in certain conditions, but severe inflammation would require immunosuppressive medications. These medications suppress the immune system in order to reliably control autoimmune disorders like lupus.
Lupus in children resemble those seen in adults and the disease may affect more organs in children. This fact is probable because the initial symptoms in children may not be noticed at one, and the disease may not get diagnosed at an early stage.
The symptoms of lupus can be also be similar to the symptoms of other medical conditions. It is then very important to consult a physician to observe even the slightest symptoms in children. This will ensure early diagnosis of SLE as well as right lupus treatment, and it will surely help in the prevention of any associated complication.