Sjögren's syndrome Q & A - Can children get Sjögren's syndrome?

on

 Q: Can children get Sjögren's syndrome?

Can children get Sjögren's syndrome?

A:  Yes, unfortunately children can get Sjögren’s syndrome. It is called juvenile Sjögren’s syndrome or JSS or sometimes Pediatric Sjögren's syndrome. It is rare in children but has been recorded in a three year old. 

Recent research has suggested that MRI and Ultrasound should be considered useful non-invasive diagnostic tools for early diagnosis of Sjogren's syndrome in a child and also in the evaluation of JSS progression.

Children with JSS have fewer sicca symptoms than adults with SS and recurrent parotitis (parotid gland swelling) is the most common early symptom of JSS.

What kind of doctor would treat children with Sjogren's syndrome?:
The best kind of specialist would be a rheumatologist. Many children's hospitals would have recommendations for rheumatologist's that treat children. 
Autoimmune diseases in children are generally very rare and this is why you need a specialist who treats children. Here there is a list of hospitals and other centres specifically relating to management of autoimmune diseases in children. Sjogren's syndrome is classified as an autoimmune, connective tissue disease and often called a form of arthritis.  


More information on Juvenile SS:


Sjögren's syndrome in childhood

Nora G Singer, Ingrid Tomanova-Soltys, Robert Lowe
  • PMID: 18460271
    •  
  • DOI: 10.1007/s11926-008-0026-5
    • This review presents our 10-year experience with children diagnosed with Sjögren's syndrome (SS). Patients between the ages of 9 and 17 years had abnormalities in laboratory values consistent with but not entirely diagnostic of those required to diagnose SS in adults.

Sjögren's syndrome in children

D J Franklin, R J Smith, D A Person
  • PMID: 3083339
    •  
  • DOI: 10.1177/019459988609400217
    • The diagnosis should be considered, however, in children with a foreign body sensation in the eyes, chronic dryness of the eyes or mouth, or recurrent salivary gland enlargement.

Primary Sjögren's syndrome in children: Is a family approach indicated?

Barbara S. Longhi, Simone Appenzeller, Maraisa Centeville, Reinaldo J. Gusmão, and Roberto Marini We report the occurrence of pSS in two siblings and in their mother and review the literature on multiplex pSS families.

Riley Hospital for Children at Indiana University Health

Comments

Post a Comment