Inflammatory Diseases of the Eye, Bowel, and Bone in Children

Pediatric rheumatological diseases present with diverse manifestations affecting various tissues and organs. Though most childhood illnesses with immune dysregulation affect multiple organs or systems simultaneously or gradually, few inflammatory conditions affect certain organs as distinguished primary targets. Pediatric inflammatory diseases of the eye, bowel, and bone represent significant disorders with heterogeneous entities with varying pathophysiological basis like chronic inflammation, vasculitis, autoimmunity, and autoinflammation. Associations or complications of these diseases may remain obscure if their extensions are not explored specifically. Pediatric uveitis, non-uveitic inflammatory diseases, inflammatory bowel diseases, and autoinflammatory bone diseases are the important constituents of this cluster. The author concisely discusses these disorders in this review from pediatric rheumatological perspective. If untreated, these diseases may be organ-threatening. Outcomes are vastly different in undiagnosed patients and in timely diagnosed and treated patients. Lack of awareness and missed exploration of associated illnesses and complications may result in a missed diagnosis or inadequate symptomatic treatment. A multidisciplinary approach to diagnosis and treatment is desirable in these heterogeneous entities. Pediatricians must be aware of the immunological origin of organ-centered symptoms and signs. A proper understanding of molecular details of etiopathogenesis and significant advances in therapy have reduced the morbidity, disability, and mortality of such disorders.