The Rutgers Health Bristol-Myers Squibb Pediatric Rheumatology Center is a leading-edge rheumatology clinical center of excellence for children and adolescents. Our child/family-friendly center provides comprehensive treatment, education, and follow-up.

Pediatric rheumatic diseases may follow courses that are challenging to diagnose and manage. These diseases can affect different aspects of growth, development, physical function, and quality of life. Early diagnosis is essential to proper disease management to prevent long-term complications.

The center helps diagnose and manage complex rheumatic diseases, including:

• Amplified and regional musculoskeletal pain syndromes
• Fibromyalgia
• Juvenile dermatomyositis (an inflammatory disease marked by muscle weakness and a distinctive skin rash)
• Juvenile idiopathic arthritis
• Linear scleroderma (chronic hardening and contraction of the skin and connective tissue, either locally or throughout the body) and morphea (a skin condition causing painless, discolored patches on skin)
• Mixed connective tissue disease
• Periodic fever syndromes
• Polymyositis (a type of chronic inflammation of the muscles)
• Reactive arthritis
• Systemic lupus erythematosus (an autoimmune disease in which the body's immune system can mistakenly attack healthy tissue including skin, joints, kidneys, brain, and other organs)
• Systemic sclerosis (abnormal hardening of body tissue)
• Vasculitis (diseases that feature inflammation of the blood vessels)

Medical professionals from our program also teach in community medical education programs for pediatricians and at hospitals throughout New Jersey, and participate in events for families with children who have pediatric rheumatic diseases.

Physicians who serve our Pediatric Rheumatology Center are on the faculty of Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, a part of Rutgers University, one of the top research institutions in America. Our doctors are active in research projects in pediatric rheumatology, with a focus on studies of systemic lupus erythematosus and juvenile idiopathic arthritis; they also teach about all aspects of rheumatology and pediatric medicine. Each brings leading-edge knowledge from the classroom to the exam room.

If you are the parent of a child who has a rheumatic disease, please make an appointment with the Rutgers Health Bristol-Myers Squibb Pediatric Rheumatology Center today.