CRAJ Winter 2023

Winter 2023 (Volume 33, Number 4)

Pediatrics Committee News

By Roberta Berard, MD, MSc, FRCPC

The CRA Pediatrics Committee is a diverse and active group of 95 pediatric rheumatologists, trainees and researchers. The Pediatric Executive Committee oversees the work of several subcommittees including Human Resources, Education, and a number of working groups. Dr. Bobbi Berard will complete her term as Chair of the Pediatric Executive Committee after the Annual Scientific Meeting (ASM) in February 2024, with Dr. Nadia Luca stepping into this role, and Dr. Julie Barsalou will serve as Vice-Chair. We would like to thank Dr. Ron Laxer, who will complete his term as past-chair, having served on this committee for the last 8 years. We will be seeking volunteers for the role of secretary. We are grateful for the valuable insight provided by our ex-officio members, Dr. Lily Lim (member-at-large) and Dr. Lillian Lim (CRA board liaison).

The Pediatric subcommittees have been very busy over the last twelve months, offering a variety of educational opportunities in addition to producing manuscripts and guidance materials.

Here is a summary of some of the important work they have completed over the past year:

The Canadian Autoinflammatory Case Rounds (CANaC) Steering Committee offered two presentations for pediatric members with interactive case presentations by CRA members, Drs. Jason An, Roxana Bolaria, and Liane Heale.
The Education Subcommittee offered two accredited National Grand Rounds webinars: Diet and Inflammatory Rheumatic Disease by Ms. Inez Martincevic and Systemic JIA-related Interstitial Lung Diseases (ILD) by Dr. Grant Schulert.
The HR subcommittee has completed phase 2 of their work aiming to describe models of pediatric rheumatology care across Canada through qualitative research methods. Key themes of importance in care processes include geographical barriers to care; accessibility of community advanced clinician practitioners in arthritis care (ACPACs); shortages of social work and mental health resources; and use of virtual care. Identification of these themes will lead to future advocacy efforts to improve equity and access to care for pediatric rheumatology patients.
The CRA recommendations for the screening, monitoring, and treatment of JIA-associated uveitis were featured in an editorial (with author response) in the Journal of Rheumatology.
The manuscript “Choosing Wisely: The Canadian Rheumatology Association Pediatric Committee's List of Items Physicians and Patients Should Question” has been published in the Journal of Rheumatology, led by Drs. Nadia Luca and Lillian Lim.
The Pediatrics Committee continues to collaborate with the Therapeutics Committee and Stakeholder Engagement to advocate for permanent access to triamcinolone hexacetonide (Trispan™).

Roberta Berard, MD, MSc, FRCPC
Chair, CRA Pediatrics Committee
Associate Professor of Pediatrics,
Western University
Division Director, Pediatric Rheumatology,
Children's Hospital, London Health Sciences Centre
London, Ontario