Rheumatology is an area of medicine and healthcare that diagnoses and treats conditions or diseases affecting parts of the body including joints, muscles or bones. Some of these conditions cause inflammation (swelling and soreness).
The Rheumatology team sees children and young people with a range of conditions that might include:
- Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA)
- Juvenile Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
- Juvenile Dermatomyositis
- Scleroderma
- Mixed connective tissue disorders
- Vasculitis
- Chronic Non-infectious osteitis
- Fever syndromes
- Autoinflammatory conditions
- Uveitis
- Biomechanical joint pain
- Hypermobility syndrome
We use a range of medicines and treatments to try to support our patients to live full and independent lives as much as possible. Children and young people are cared for by a group of specialists (also known as a multidisciplinary team) which might include doctors, specialist nurses, physiotherapists, occupational therapists and ophthalmologists. We work very closely with other professionals, including pharmacists, play specialists, psychologists and art therapists, planning treatment, care and support according to what each child needs.
How to get an appointment with the Rheumatology team
Referrals can be made via your family doctor (GP) or a hospital doctor. New referrals for young people after their 16th birthday who are not already known to another hospital team are usually redirected to the adult Rheumatology team at the Western General Hospital.
Transition to adult services
We run specialist clinics for older children as they reach school-leaving age and help to prepare them for the move to adult services. We often get to know the patients that we treat and their families over many years. We may ask to see young people on their own at the beginning of their appointment, if they are happy to do this, and invite parents in afterwards.
Meet the team
Contact us
Changing your outpatient appointment
If you need to change the date or time of a scheduled outpatient appointment, the Appointments Office can be contacted on 0131 312 1547 or 0131 312 1548 (Monday - Friday, 9am - 4.30pm).Coming to a clinic
When we meet a patient for the first time (sometimes also known as a new referral) we try to see them face to face at an outpatient clinic. This appointment is usually with a doctor or a specialist physiotherapist.
Sometimes we might offer a video appointment using a ‘Near me’ video link.
Follow-up appointments also take place in outpatient clinics, where you might be seen by a doctor, specialist physiotherapist or rheumatology nurse specialist.
What to expect
Appointments usually take place at the RHCYP in Edinburgh. Check your letter carefully for the date, time and exact location. All children have their height and weight measured before each appointment, so that their growth can be recorded. A member of the rheumatology team will then invite you into a consultation room, where they will ask questions about your child’s everyday life and your main concerns as well as assessing your child's joints and how well they can move. Some children might be asked to give a urine sample (we have plenty of water to drink!), to have a blood test or to get their eyes checked during this appointment.What to bring
It might be helpful to bring:- any questions you or your child have (sometimes it can be helpful to write them down before your appointment, so you don’t forget anything important on the day).
- a pair of shorts and a vest or t-shirt to make examination of joints easier.
- a list of any medicines your child is taking, including the dose.
- anything to help them feel calm and relaxed – e.g. a favourite toy.
Medicine in hospital: Dirleton Ward
Sometimes children may need to attend hospital on a regular basis to receive medication to control their diseases. Children will come to Dirleton ward, which is our day patient unit (for children that come for a longer appointment but go home on the same day). Some children and young people come here for follow-up blood tests or joint injections.
There are play specialists in the Dirleton Ward who can support children during their visit, help them understand what to expect, show them types of medical equipment and help to answer any questions.
MRI scans
Sometimes it might be necessary to come into hospital for an MRI scan so we can get a better look at your joints and the inside of your body.Medicines and treatment at home
Some children will be able to receive their medication to take at home. Our Rheumatology Nurse Specialists will support children and families with information and training about how to do this.Joint Injections
Some children might need an injection into their joints to reduce inflammation (the feelings of pain and soreness). This can happen in a few different ways, which will be discussed with you, to choose the best method for each child’s condition, as well as their age.
Some children and young people can manage to have their joint injection while awake. This happens by using ultrasound (a type of scan that shows pictures of the inside of the body) and a special ‘happy gas’ called ‘entonox’, which is breathed in through a small mask and can help children to feel relaxed.
Sometimes joint injections are given under general anaesthetic, particularly for younger children. They will usually come to hospital as a day patient and visit Crichton ward for a short operation.
