P R E F A C E

Abstract

The publication of the seventh edition of the Textbook of Pediatric Rheumatology marks 33 years since the publication of the first edition. The changes in the discipline of pediatric rheumatology during that time have been profound, and the Textbook has attempted to keep up with important developments in our understanding of rheumatic diseases in childhood and their diagnosis and management. The Text-book will provide an up-to-date synthesis of the state of knowledge of rheumatic diseases of childhood for students, physicians, and health care professionals involved in the management of these children and adolescents. To that end, this edition incorporates new chapters and contribu-tions from new authors. The challenge of maintaining a book of rea-sonable size while incorporating new information has necessitated deleting some old information. Some chapters have been shortened, and all chapters have been thoroughly revised, updated, and, in some instances, rewritten. The globalization of the specialty of pediatric rheumatology is recognized by the inclusion of information about diagnosis and management of childhood rheumatic diseases in the southern hemisphere.