Immune Dysregulation Program

The Immune Dysregulation Program is where families should turn when it's suspected that their child suffers from an immune dysregulation disorder, they want a second or third opinion, or they are having difficulty finding an effective treatment. We specialize in:

• Undiagnosed conditions where an immune disorder is suspected
• Immune disorders of hyperinflammation
• Immunodeficiency disorders associated with autoimmunity
• Genetic autoimmune/autoinflammatory disorders
• Autoimmunity-associated abnormal blood counts 

In addition to examining patients with unknown immune dysregulation illnesses, we also see patients with a handful of known conditions that have additional complicating factors or symptoms that have not been alleviated by traditional treatments.

Some of the most common diseases we evaluate include:

• Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH)
• Autoimmune lymphoproliferative syndrome (ALPS), a rare inherited disorder in which the body can’t regulate the number of immune system cells
• Unidentifiable periodic fever syndromes
• Castleman’s Disease, a rare disease that causes an overgrowth of cells in the lymph nodes
• NLRC4 mutation (autoinflammation with infantile enterocolitis), a syndrome that causes spontaneous inflammation in the absence of infections
• CTLA4 deficiency, a disorder that severely impairs the normal regulation of the immune system causing problems in various body systems
• LRBA deficiency, a rare genetic disorder characterized by recurrent respiratory infections and a combination of autoimmune disorders
• XIAP deficiency, an X-linked genetic disorder that causes recurrent fevers, rash, low blood count and often an enlarged spleen
• Autoimmune or immunodeficiency syndromes such as Evans syndrome or Common Variable Immune Deficiency (CVID), where symptoms are occurring that don’t normally fit with those diagnoses.

Our team collaborates with other specialties as needed. For example, patients with uncomplicated ALPS and Evans syndrome would be seen by Hematology, while a patient with periodic fever syndrome would be seen by Rheumatology. When the primary treating specialty encounters challenges managing the disease or the diagnosis is in question, these children may be referred to our program.

We do not consider like chronic Lyme disease or Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal infections (PANDAs) to be conditions of immune dysregulation. However, if your child has been given one of these diagnoses and you are seeking another explanation for the symptoms, we can evaluate for objective evidence of immune dysfunction contributing to your child’s symptoms. Unless we find evidence, we will not recommend treatments aimed at the immune system.