Experts think the occurrence of Neonatal Lupus is under estimated. SCLE is a milder form of both discoid and systemic lupus. Although the forms of lupus differ, they all have a considerable overlap in their symptoms (Dubois 856).
As with any disease, there are symptoms. Lupus has a lengthy list of symptoms, some of them being more common than others are. The most common symptoms include achy joins (arthraigia), high fever, arthritis, prolonged or extreme fatigue, skin rashes, Anemia, and kidney involvement. These occur in more than 50% of lupus patients. Others, which occur in less than 50% of patients, include mouth or nose ulcers, seizures, Raynaud's phenomenon (fingers turning white and/or blue in the cold), abnormal blood clotting problems, hair loss, sun or light sensitivity (photosensitivity), butterfly-shaped rash across the cheeks and nose, and pleurisy. Once these symptoms become apparent by a doctor, then the diagnosis of lupus is considered.
When considering diagnosing a patient with lupus, the Eleven Criteria of Lupus are the first things that doctors refer to. The first piece of criteria looked at is Malar Rash. This rash doesn"t scar and disappears either spontaneously or with treatment. The second criterion is Discoid Rash, which is common in about 25% of lupus patients. Discoid rashes are discrete, round, scaly spots that are usually found on upper part of the body. Photosensitivity, or sensitivity to light, is the next thing looked at. Generally sun exposure will trigger a rash on a lupus patient. Oral Ulcers is fourth, which affect as many as 40% of all lupus patients. Arthritis is the fifth criterion looked at. This type of arthritis does not damage the bones, but can cause swelling and inflammation of the joints and ligaments. Serositis, which is found in half of lupus patients, is evaluated next. This is the painful inflammation of the delicate linings covering the lungs.