Common symptoms of lupus in children

There are many symptoms of lupus, some invisible and some very visible.

The visible symptoms, especially those that can cause a change in appearance, can be very upsetting. These effects may be caused by lupus itself, or by the medications used to treat the disease. They include:

• hair loss
• a bloated look in the face and neck
• skin rashes or lesions (sores)
• weight gain
• easy bruising

Some of these will diminish or go away entirely as the lupus medications go to work, or when the dosages of medications are lowered and discontinued.

Symptoms that are invisible can also be difficult to cope with. These include:

• muscle aches
• joint pain
• severe fatigue
• chest pain
• memory loss
• difficulty processing information

There may be times when people ask you or your child questions about why such a healthy-looking young person walks with a cane, does not participate in a school activity or needs a home tutor.

Try to be patient as you help your child learn to cope both with these effects of the disease, and other people’s reactions and attitudes.