No. Children can be diagnosed with SLE, but childhood-onset SLE is rare. While SLE manifests similarly in children and adults, the disease course in children tends to be more severe.[1]
Does systemic lupus erythematosus only affect adults?
Written by:
Fact-checked
by:
•Last Updated: May 16, 2025
Systemic lupus erythematosus can affect both adults and children, although childhood-onset SLE is rare. The disease occurs similarly in both age groups, but it tends to be more severe in children.