Question
I have received conflicting opinions from two specialists regarding my ten-year-old daughter. One said that my daughter had juvenile arthritis and the other said that she had osteomyelitis. She also has molluscum contagiosum on her bottom. I am very confused. Is there a linkage between these various conditions?
Answer
You have described three separate conditions that are not related to each other in any shape or form. Molluscum contagiosum is a self-limiting viral infection of the skin. Osteomyelitis is a bacterial infection of bone and juvenile arthritis is usually a variant of rheumatoid arthritis that occurs in young people. The treatment of the latter two conditions is quite different therefore you need clarity about the actual diagnosis. I suggest that you discuss this matter with your GP who may need to refer your daughter to a specialist with a particular interest in bone and joint disorders in children.