Meet Your Child’s Health Care Team

Physician with additional, specialized training in diagnosing, preventing or treating diseases in children and adolescents. Can include both medical doctors and doctors of osteopathy.

Physician who has additional, specialized training in diagnosing and treating rheumatic diseases in children or adolescents. Your pediatrician may initially diagnose your child’s juvenile arthritis, then refer her to a pediatric rheumatologist for ongoing care.

Health care professional with a specialized degree in nursing (often a registered nurse) who assists or collaborates with physicians in either an office or hospital setting. Nurses may conduct an initial consultation, conduct tests like urinalysis or taking temperature, or administer injections or infusions, for example.

Nurse with additional, graduate-level education in advanced nursing. Many nurse practitioners specialize in an area of medicine, such as rheumatology. Nurse practitioners may be primary-care providers, diagnose illnesses and prescribe medications.

Health care professional who is licensed to practice medicine under a physician’s supervision. Physician assistants may specialize in an area of medicine, such as rheumatology. Physician assistants may prescribe medications, assist in surgeries and diagnose and treat many illnesses.

Health care professional trained in using exercises to treat physical conditions like arthritis.

Health care professional trained in teaching patients adaptive techniques to reduce joint strain who may also design or prescribe splints or similar devices.

Health care professional with training in psychology who may provide counseling or therapy to children with JA. Some psychologists specialize only in treating children and teens, rather than adults, and may be called child psychologists.

Physician who has additional, specialized training in diagnosing and treating mental illnesses. A psychiatrist, unlike a psychologist, is licensed to order medical tests such as brain scans, or to prescribe drugs to treat mental conditions, including depression or anxiety.

Physician with additional, specialized training in diagnosing, preventing and treating eye diseases. Children with JA need regular eye exams to detect signs of inflammatory eye conditions like uveitis.

Physician with additional, specialized training in diagnosing, preventing and treating skin diseases. Children with JA may need to see a dermatologist if they develop rashes or painful skin conditions like psoriatic arthritis.

Physician with additional, specialized training in surgical treatment of the musculoskeletal system, including bones and joints.

Physician with training in diagnosing, preventing and treating foot diseases or pain, including prescribing medicines and performing foot surgeries.

Trained in the developmental and psychosocial impact of illness and injury, CCLS help infants, children, adolescents and families (especially siblings) cope with the stress of chronic illness and health care procedures (i.e. lab draws, injections at home, IVs/infusions, etc.). They provide services and interventions including education about diagnosis and treatments, preparation and support for procedures, teaching coping skills to reduce pain and anxiety, and even pill-swallowing techniques.

Licensed professional who helps children and parents capitalize on their own resources or finding social services available to make life easier with juvenile arthritis.

Health care professional with specialized training in the use of diet and food to promote good health. Dietitians may guide children with JA in developing a healthy diet, or consult with parents if children are either overweight or underweight.

Depending on how your child’s rheumatic disease affects her, other specialists on your child’s health care team may include physicians like nephrologists, who treat kidney diseases; gastroenterologists, who treat diseases of the digestive system; pulmonologists, who treat lung diseases, and many more.