Health Care Team
The Division of Rheumatology at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center has an interdisciplinary team of specialists including:
- Pediatric rheumatologist
- A doctor many years of training in taking care of children with different types of rheumatic conditions. They are trained as a pediatrician and then receive advanced training in the field of rheumatology. The pediatric rheumatologist and your child's local doctor should work together to take care of your child.
- Advanced practice nurse (APN)
- Specially trained in taking care of children with rheumatic conditions (JRA, lupus, etc.). APN's have a Master's degree. They work together with doctors and families in developing care plans and providing education and counseling about the disease, treatment and resources. Advanced practice nurses are often nurse practitioners or clinical nurse specialists.
- Clinic nurse
- Will see your child when you come to clinic. They are an excellent resource for helping with the management of such things as getting your child to take medications or do exercises, comfort measures, and pain management. Many times the nurse is the link between the family, doctor, school, and other members of the health care team and helps to coordinate your child's care.
- Physical therapist (PT)
- Helps with exercises and mobility problems. The PT works mostly with problems that are in the lower extremities like hips, knees, feet and spine. They also work on overall physical activity. The therapist will check your child's joint range of motion, strength, and posture. The therapist will probably teach you and your child special exercises that you can do at home. The therapist may also make leg casts or splints to help keep your child's legs straighter.
- Occupational therapist (OT)
- Helps with exercises and fine motor skills. The OT, usually works with problems that are in the upper extremities like hands, wrists, shoulders and arms. The therapist will measure upper body motion and strength and may give you special exercises, splints, or other assistive devices to help with activities of daily living (like writing, bathing, or dressing).
- Social worker
- Helps with the personal, emotional, family, or financial concerns which may occur with any chronic disease. The social worker is also an excellent person to help identify resources within the hospital and local community.
- Customer service representative
- Helps to schedule your child's appointments and to coordinate other appointments or tests that your child may need. They also help with daily phone calls to make sure you talk with the right person to answer your questions.
- Ophthalmologist
- A doctor specially trained to check for eye disease and take care of any eye problems that may occur. The pediatric rheumatologist will help you decide how often your child needs to see the eye doctor.
- Psychologist
- Specially trained to counsel and work with families in dealing with any chronic illness. The psychologist can help with adjusting to disease treatments, adjusting to changes at home or school, or just coping with a chronic disease.
- Nutritionist
- Specially trained to assess your child's growth and nutritional requirements. Nutritionists teach nutrition and meal planning and may prescribe special diets when children are on certain medications.
- Clinical Research Coordinator (CRC)
- A person who handles most of the administrative responsibilities of a clinical trial. CRC's help to coordinate research studies. They often review and explain research studies with families and recruit patients to take part in studies. They also review data and records regarding your child's progress.
For more information about the William S. Rowe Division of Rheumatology at Cincinnati Children's, please contact 513-636-4676.
