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A chronic disorder like Lupus is difficult as such to cope with in adults but in children it is even more difficult. It is difficult to diagnose Lupus in children more so than the adults and in most cases the correct diagnosis is made only after the disease becomes worse.
Based on the symptoms it is important to make the correct diagnosis. Most of the children will not have all the symptoms that characterize Lupus. Some children will have the usual symptoms of fever, rash and Kidney inflammation while others might complain of fatigue. A positive ANA test would be taken as an indication of Lupus but there have been many cases where a positive test result might not necessarily mean Lupus.
Treatment for children affected by Lupus is same as the adults depending on the severity of condition. Children with Lupus require regular dosage of corticosteroids (prednisone) which has many undesirable side effects. Weight gain, unwanted hair growth stretch marks are one of the many side effects that might upset the child. Long-term usage of corticosteroids can cause weak bones, stunted height, and atherosclerosis (fatty deposits in blood vessels that can affect blood flow), among many other problems.
In the recent times, the new Cytotoxic immunosuppressive drugs have been used as an alternative for the high dosage of corticosteroids. These drugs have been successful in treating Lupus without the obvious visible side effects. But these drugs do have other side effects. They can cause damage to the bone marrow of the child hence careful monitoring is required.
Coping and living with Lupus is very difficult for the child and the parent as well. It is important for the parents to allow their children to grow up with letting them take unnecessary risks. One of the biggest risks is the exposure to excessive sunlight which can worsen the Lupus condition. A child with lupus will not be able to play in the beach or sit in the sun.
Explaining about the disease and their condition would help the child to understand the reason for restrictions of avoiding sunlight. For children younger than 10 years of age, the parents should explain about Lupus as a disease and most important they should not feel that it is their fault that they have such a condition. They need to understand that it is not a contagious disease. For older and adolescent children explaining more about the disease would help and it would also be good if they learn to symptoms of a Lupus flare-up and the other precautions that they need to take. |
