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Information for patients and families Advice regarding Swine Flu The aim of BSPAR (British Society for Paediatric and Adolescent Rheumatology) is to advance paediatric rheumatology care in the UK and Ireland, by raising the standards of clinical care, enhancing the quality of training and promoting research. Through our efforts, we hope to increase understanding, improve management and ultimately create better outcomes for children with rheumatic diseases in the UK and Ireland. There are many different types of rheumatic diseases that can begin in childhood and many are rare. It is important that children with rheumatic diseases are diagnosed promptly and referred to specialist paediatric rheumatology multi-disciplinary teams who can provide support for the child and the family and furthermore provide information about the condition, and the treatment options. Around the UK are many centres with specialist paediatric rheumatology teams and they often work in clinical networks with doctors (paediatricians, adult rheumatologists and GPs), nurses (in hospitals and in the community) and therapists (physiotherapists and occupational therapists) and other health care professionals to provide high quality clinical care nearer to the child’s home to minimise disruption for the family. They also work with schools and social services to support the child and family in the community and throughout the child’s education. Most members of these specialist teams and clinical networks are members of BSPAR. You can find out more about the activities of BSPAR by browsing the pages of our website If you wish to know more rheumatic diseases that begin in childhood , we suggest the following links which you may find helpful. Please note that different terms are sometimes used for children’s arthritis (such as JRA, JIA)
If you wish to know more about paediatric rheumatology centres in your Region, we suggest you contact your GP who will be aware of local clinical networks and arrangements for referrals. If you wish to know more about research into rheumatic diseases (including those that start in childhood) that is currently being carried out in the UK and Europe, you may wish to look at the following links
If you wish to know more about research in the various centres in the UK please look at this pdf document or click on the Research page on the BSPAR website If you have further suggestions of how this page may develop, please contact us at BSPAR
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