Tilmann Kallinich in Leibniz Magazine

The Leibniz Magazine interviewed Prof. Tilmann Kallinich, head of the DRFZ liaison group “Chronic Inflammation in Childhood”, and head of the Section Rheumatology at the Klinik für Pädiatrie m.S. Pneumologie, Immunologie und Intensivmedizin of the Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin at the September issue of the magazine. In the interview, he explains why it takes so long for children to be diagnosed with rheumatic disorders.

More than 14,000 children and adolescents in Germany suffer from juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). In most cases, the knee, ankle or wrist joints are inflamed; in other forms, the eyes or tendon attachments are affected. If the disease progresses past a certain point without treatment, cartilage and bone can be destroyed or vision permanently impaired.

In his interview, Prof. Kallinich explains that there are still not enough specialists in Germany who can diagnose rheumatic diseases in children quickly and correctly. However, the good news is that when children with oligoarthritis (when fewer than five joints are affected) are treated correctly, three quarters of them will eventually be symptom-free and no longer need medication. Unfortunately, there are also children who cannot be cured – but with medication available today, their symptoms can at least significantly alleviated.

This article follows a previous article by the author Fabian Zapatka, whose daughter suffers from childhood arthritis. In it, Zapatka describes the long road to the diagnosis of the disease by Prof. Kallinich (see link to article below).