Associated specialty clinics
The following specialty clinics are based within the Pediatric Rheumatology Clinic:
Pediatric Rheumatology Clinic
Clinic information
The Pediatric Rheumatology clinic is located within the Alberta Children's Hospital.
28 Oki Dr NW
Calgary AB T3B 6A8
Tel: (403) 955-2721
Fax: (403) 476-7762
Hours of operation:
Monday - Friday, 8:00 am - 4:00 pm
The Alberta Children’s Hospital (ACH) Pediatric Rheumatology Clinic (operated by the Department of Pediatrics) provides comprehensive, multi-disciplinary rheumatology care for children and adolescents (up to age 17) from southern Alberta, eastern British Columbia and southwestern Saskatchewan. We engage in the diagnosis and management of a wide variety of rheumatic conditions, including juvenile idiopathic arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, juvenile dermatomyositis, scleroderma, vasculitis, auto-inflammatory disease, and other rare inflammatory diseases. Appointments are available by referral only.
Our mission is to provide a high-quality and timely consultative service, and to maintain ongoing family-centred, evidence-based, interdisciplinary care of these patients. The academic environment integrates quality improvement, research, teaching and patient engagement to achieve optimal health outcomes.
Patients accessing our clinic may receive care from pharmacists, physiotherapists, registered nurses (RNs), rheumatologists, social workers. This clinic is active in clinical trials, and opportunities for participation may be available. Interpreter/translation services are available upon request, please inquire before your scheduled appointment.
Preparing for your visit
Use the following resources to plan and prepare for your clinic visit.
When visiting our clinic for your appointment, please ensure to bring valid government issued identification and your Alberta Health Care card. Please arrive 15 minutes before your scheduled appointments. Ensure that you bring a list of the medications your child is taking (or simply bring the medication bottles). To help make your physical examination more comfortable, bring a change of clothes (shorts, sports bra, tank top, etc.).
The doctor you see may be accompanied by medical students or other trainees. If you are uncomfortable with this, please let us know before your visit.
Please note that there is reduced capacity for in-person appointments during the COVID pandemic; some appointments may be scheduled virtually (through Zoom video call or by telephone). COVID screening will be done prior to each scheduled appointment. Only one parent/caregiver is allowed to accompany a patient to their clinic appointment. If you have any questions, please contact our clinic, or visit the AHS website to learn more about COVID-19 guidelines.
AHS provides an Alberta Children’s Hospital parking map which can be accessed here.
Autoinflammatory Clinic
Comprehensive care for children and adolescents with autoinflammatory conditions, such as periodic fever syndromes and others.
Multidisciplinary Early Arthritis Clinic
Provides access to an evidence-based management plan developed by a multidisciplinary team (physician, nursing, pharmacy, physiotherapy, occupational therapy and social work support) for children recently diagnosed with arthritis.
Multidisciplinary localized and systemic scleroderma Clinic
Comprehensive care for children and adolescents with localized scleroderma (morphea) and systemic sclerosis using evidence-based treatment protocols and standardized outcome assessments.
Multidisciplinary Myositis Clinic
Comprehensive care for children and adolescents with juvenile dermatomyositis and other types of myositis using evidence-based treatment protocols and standardized outcome assessments.
Multidisciplinary psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis clinic
Comprehensive care for children and adolescents with juvenile psoriatic arthritis using evidence-based treatment protocols and standardized outcome assessments.
Multidisciplinary TMJ Clinic
Multi-disciplinary consultative assessments for Juvenile Inflammatory Arthritis patients with TMJ involvement.
Neonatal lupus clinic
Patients affected by neonatal lupus with or without cardiac manifestations are seen post birth to monitor for the development of extra-cardiac disease manifestations. Patients at risk for neonatal lupus can also be seen in utero to plan investigations post-delivery and subsequently monitored post birth and treated as necessary.
Neuroinflammatory Clinic
Multidisciplinary care for children and adolescents with autoimmune and inflammatory neurologic conditions.
Pediatric Rheumatology/Nephrology Clinic
Provides multi-disciplinary care for children and adolescents with systemic lupus erythematosus, systemic vasculitis and other autoimmune disease with renal involvement.
Clinic team
- Susanne Benseler, MD
- Nicole Johnson, MD
- Nadia Luca, MD
- Paivi Miettunen, MD
- Heinrike Schmeling (Section Chief), MD
- Rebeka Stevenson. MD
- Marinka Twilt, MD
- Muhammed Dhalla, MD (Community Pediatric Rheumatologist)
- Vimal Prajapati, MD (Pediatric Dermatologist)
- Dianne Patino, RN
- Maggie Mercer, RN
- Lana Rempel, RN
- Julia Brooks, Physiotherapist
- Aynsley Wennberg, Occupational Therapist
- Joni Shair, Pharmacist
- Jenna Thomas, Psychology
- Samantha Northey, Social Worker