Pediatric rheumatology clinics
The clinical activities of the division are carried out at St. Louis Children’s Hospital, St. Louis Children’s Specialty Care Center South, Children’s Specialty Care Center West, and the Shriners Hospital for Children. More than 4,000 patient visits occur annually at these sites. Children are seen for rheumatology evaluations at all four outpatient specialty clinics (including the Arthritis Specialty Clinic at Shriners Hospital). Children with rheumatic disease or issues with immunodsyregulation are cared for by an experienced team of physicians, nurse practitioners, and clinical nurse coordinators.
The care and evaluation of our patients is supported by a state-of-the-art diagnostic laboratory which includes all available serologic and cellular testing for rheumatic diseases and immunodeficiencies. In addition to outpatient evaluations, rheumatology inpatients are cared for by a dedicated Rheumatology Service at St. Louis Children’s Hospital and consultations are provided for complex patients admitted from a variety of other services.
A weekly divisional clinical conference is held to review patient management and care from the outpatient clinics and inpatient consults. In addition, the Division has close working interactions with the Adult Rheumatology program in the Department of Internal Medicine, including a shared weekly Grand Rounds and a combined weekly Translational Research Conference
Pediatric immunology clinics
The pediatric clinical immunology program at St. Louis Children’s Hospital is a collaborative effort between the divisions of Rheumatology and Immunology, Allergy and Pulmonary Medicine, Hematology and Oncology and Infectious Diseases to provide the highest quality multi-disciplinary care for children with primary immunodeficiencies. This clinic is staffed by Washington University physicians and a dedicated nurse practitioner, and led by Megan Cooper, MD, a pediatric rheumatologist and immunologist.
Our clinic specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of primary immunodeficiencies that lead to increased infections and immune dysregulation. We offer a range of treatments including replacement immunoglobulin infusion therapy and evaluation for hematopoietic stem cell therapy. We are a referral center for positive newborn screening for SCID (severe combined immunodeficiency), and we can evaluate and treat these infants in a timely manner after a positive newborn screen.
Patients and families can call 314-454-2880 to schedule an appointment through our scheduling team, or can reach Katie Varrone, RN, MSN, CPNP-PC, at 314-454-2880.
We are a referral center for the Jeffrey Modell Foundation and we were designated a Jeffrey Modell Diagnostic and Research Center for Primary Immunodeficiencies in 2018.