Though they only consist of 10-20% of all lupus diagnoses, young children and adolescents tend to experience more aggressive lupus. And though symptoms such as fatigue, emotional functioning challenges, and concentration difficulties can negatively affect a patient's mental health during critical stages of development, these issues are often ignored.
Additionally, children may have an increased risk of declining cognitive abilities due to SLE-related brain inflammation. Dr Knight reports that she often comes across “many young people with lupus who struggle with fatigue, concentration, and emotional functioning, impacting their schooling and day-to-day life. These issues are often under-recognized.”, and hopes that her research can gather foundational data in a non-invasive way to understand why cognitive dysfunction occurs.
In time, she aims to translate this data into meaningful improvements in care. Similarly, Leanne Mielczarek, CEO of Lupus Canada, believes that Dr. Knight's research has the potential to inform more effective interventions and support strategies by advancing our understanding of how lupus affects cognitive function at an early age. Mielczarek hopes that Dr. Knight's research will alleviate the struggles that children and adolescents living with lupus face.
