Pediatric Rheumatology in the Arab World

Pediatric rheumatology is a relatively new specialty in the Arab world. It is still a growing field in which the number of centers and specialists is gradually increasing in these countries. Unfortunately, few published data are describing pediatric rheumatology in the Arab world. Therefore, we sought to provide an overview of pediatric rheumatology services in these countries, as well as to assess the published papers from Arab countries in this field. We gathered the information by conducting an online questionnaire on “SurveyMonkey.” We distributed the survey’s link via email and WhatsApp to the pediatric Arab rheumatology group. The responses provide an idea of the pediatric rheumatology practice. Data on academic pediatric rheumatology activities in the Arab world are scarce. In this chapter, we will highlight some of the remarkable publications that described the incidence and prevalence of juvenile idiopathic arthritis, which is one of the most common diseases in pediatric rheumatology in the Arab world, autoinflammatory conditions and some of the basic science publications. We will also focus on some challenges that pediatric rheumatology services face, such as a shortage of pediatric rheumatologists, limited access to diagnostic laboratory and medications, and the referral system. New emerging topics such as the COVID pandemic and telemedicine health in pediatric rheumatology will be discussed as well.