Specialty Pediatric Rheumatology Facility Oakland Medical Center Pediatric Specialties Address Mosswood Building, 12th floor 3505 Broadway Oakland CA 94611 Map & Directions Telephone Appointments: 510-752-7813 Advice (24 hours): 510-752-1200 Cancellation: 510-752-6577 Mosswood Pharmacy: 510-752-1066 Mosswood Pharmacy refill recorder: 510-752-7730 E-mail your doctor View your preventive services

Thank you for visiting my physician home page. I hope to give you a brief overview of Pediatric Rheumatology, my background and interests, as well as provide some useful links and resources.

What is Pediatric Rheumatology?

As a Pediatric Rheumatologist, I care for children with a variety of conditions caused by an overactive immune system. These conditions are called autoimmune diseases, and include juvenile arthritis, lupus, vasculitis, and other conditions. In autoimmune disease, the immune system - which normally protects the body from infections - has made a mistake and attacks parts of the body through a process called inflammation. Inflammation can happen in the joints (in arthritis), blood vessels (in vasculitis), or in other organs. As a Pediatric Rheumatologist, I also evaluate children who may have a variety of symptoms such as joint pains, fatigue, or rashes, to decide if the immune system is causing the problem and if medical treatment is needed.

The field of Pediatric Rheumatology is one of the most exciting and rapidly changing fields in medicine today. We are learning much more about how these conditions develop and how to better treat them. Fortunately, there are many excellent treatments available and many new therapies on the horizon.

My Practice Philosophy

My goal is to help your child and your family succeed in every way possible. Your child’s quality of life is of the utmost importance.

Although rheumatic diseases can be quite complicated, I believe that patients do the best when they are educated about their conditions and the available treatments. I will provide you with the information you need to make the best decisions for your child or family.

When regular medications are necessary, I believe it is very important to treat early and decisively to aim for complete control over the disease (disease remission). At the same time, I also believe it is important to taper off medications as soon as we can do so safely.

Achieving optimal health is multidimensional. I will also encourage your family to eat well, be physically active, get enough sleep, manage stress, and find healthy ways of expressing emotions. I also sometimes recommend complementary therapies such as acupuncture or yoga in addition to traditional medicines.

My Background

I joined Kaiser Northern California in September 2011. I am thrilled to work at an organization so dedicated to quality of care and innovation. Before coming to Kaiser, I trained at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles in Pediatrics (residency) and Pediatric Rheumatology (fellowship). I attended Harvard Medical School and Harvard College.

My Credentials

Medical school	Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
Residency	Childrens Hospital of Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
Fellowship	Childrens Hospital of Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
Board certification	Pediatrics, American Board of Pediatrics

Professional Affiliations

American Academy of Pediatrics
American College of Rheumatology
Childhood Arthritis & Rheumatology Research Alliance
Arthritis Foundation

Languages

Spanish

Personal History

I grew up in New Jersey and lived in Boston for nine years for college and medical school prior to moving to Los Angeles for training in Pediatrics and Pediatric Rheumatology. In my spare time, I enjoy painting, drawing, tennis, going to concerts and arts events, and hiking. I am new to the Bay Area and am loving it so far.

Useful Resources & Links

Kaiser Permanente classes and programs

Disclaimer
If you think you have a MEDICAL OR PSYCHIATRIC EMERGENCY, CALL 911 IMMEDIATELY or go to the nearest hospital. DO NOT attempt to access emergency care through this web site. An emergency medical condition is a medical or psychiatric condition that manifests itself by acute symptoms of sufficient severity (including severe pain) such that you could reasonably expect the absence of immediate medical attention to result in any of the following: serious jeopardy to your health, serious impairment to your bodily functions, or serious dysfunction of any bodily organ or part. An emergency medical condition is also "active labor," which means a labor when there is inadequate time for safe transfer to a Plan hospital (or designated hospital) before delivery or if a transfer poses a threat to the health of the member or unborn child.

This site may contain links to other web sites outside of www.permanente.net. Kaiser Permanente has no control over the content or the availability of these sites, and is not responsible for the privacy practices or the content of such Web sites. Web links are provided as an educational tool, and should not be relied upon for personal diagnosis or treatment. A link or reference to a web site should not be construed as an endorsement of the site or its contents. Any medical content that you feel may be important to your health should always be discussed with your Kaiser Permanente physician.