The Limping Child: Could It Be Lyme Arthritis? Information and Planning for School Nurses

NASN Sch Nurse. 2019 Sep;34(5):262-265. doi: 10.1177/1942602X19827099. Epub 2019 Feb 9.

Abstract

Lyme disease is the most common vector-borne disease in the United States with Lyme arthritis becoming one of the most common symptoms of Lyme disease. It is imperative that school nurses become familiar with vector-borne disease and promptly consider Lyme arthritis to be contemplated as a differential diagnosis of a child presenting to the office with a limp and joint pain and swelling with no history of acute injury. The following article will discuss the overview, implications and management of Lyme arthritis in the school setting and includes a relevant IHP for school nurses to utilize in practice.

Keywords: Lyme disease; arthritis; children; school nurse.

MeSH terms

  • Borrelia burgdorferi Group
  • Child
  • Humans
  • Knee Joint
  • Lyme Disease / complications
  • Lyme Disease / diagnosis*
  • Lyme Disease / nursing
  • Nursing Diagnosis
  • Pain / etiology
  • School Nursing
  • Students