A lupus diagnosis during the teen years can feel overwhelming for the entire family. Parents may be trying to understand symptoms, medications, appointments, school accommodations, fatigue, flares, and emotional changes — while teens are trying to keep up with school, friendships, independence, and the everyday pressure of growing up.
Lupus LA is here to help.
Whether your family is in California or across the country, Lupus LA offers free virtual support, education, and connection for teens and families navigating lupus. You and your family do not have to do this alone.
Lupus LA’s Teen Support Group is a free, professionally moderated virtual support group for teens ages 14–18 who are living with lupus.
This group gives teens a safe space to ask questions, connect with others who understand, and feel less alone as they navigate lupus during one of the most important stages of their lives.
Next Teen Support Group: Tuesday, June 16, 2026
Time: 5:30 PM PT
Location: Virtual via Zoom
Moderator: Liz Morasso, Licensed Psychotherapist and Lupus Patient
Cost: Free
Who Can Attend: Teens ages 14–18 living with lupus
Consent Required: Participants must complete the required consent form before attending.
Complete the Required Consent Form
Contact Our Team With Any Questions:
📧 info@lupusla.org
📱(310) 657-5667
📍 c/o Emerge, 16000 Ventura Blvd Suite 630, Encino, CA 91436
Lupus can affect much more than a teen’s physical health. It can affect school, friendships, mood, energy, confidence, family life, and the process of becoming more independent.
The teen years are already full of change. Adding a chronic autoimmune disease like lupus can make teens feel isolated, misunderstood, anxious, or unsure of how to talk about what they are experiencing.
Lupus LA’s Teen Support Group gives teens a place where they do not have to explain everything from the beginning. It is a space where they can meet others who understand what it feels like to live with lupus at their age.
Teens can come to the group to talk, ask questions, listen, learn, or simply be present. They do not have to share before they are ready.
Lupus LA’s Teen Support Group is moderated by Liz Morasso, LCSW, a licensed therapist who also lives with lupus and was diagnosed as a teen.
Liz brings both professional mental health expertise and personal lived experience to the group. She understands what it can feel like to navigate lupus during adolescence and helps create a supportive space where teens can ask questions, share honestly, or simply listen until they feel comfortable.
For teens, that kind of guidance matters.
Liz is not only a trained professional. She is someone who knows what it is like to receive a lupus diagnosis as a teenager, face uncertainty, and learn how to move forward. Her presence gives teens hope, support, and a trusted guide as they navigate their own diagnosis.
Teenagers with lupus are managing more than a medical condition. They are navigating a chronic autoimmune disease during a time when they are also developing independence, identity, friendships, academic goals, and future plans.
For many teens, lupus can affect:
For parents, it can be difficult to know when to step in, when to give space, and how to help a teen build independence without feeling alone or overwhelmed.
That is why support before the transition to adult care is so important.
In Lupus LA’s expert session, “Lupus in Teens: Navigating Transition of Care: A Session Focused on Self-Advocacy & Health Literacy,” Dr. Diane Tanaka discusses why teens with chronic conditions need practical support before they move into adult health care.
Dr. Diane Tanaka is the Medical Director of the Teenage and Young Adult Health Center and the My Voice Transition Program at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. Her work focuses on helping adolescents and young adults with chronic health conditions prepare for adult-oriented care.
This conversation is especially important for families affected by teen lupus because the transition from pediatric care to adult care is not just about switching doctors. It is a gradual process of helping teens build the knowledge, confidence, and self-advocacy skills they need to manage their health more independently.
As teens get older, they gradually move from pediatric care to adult medical care. This transition can feel overwhelming for both teens and parents.
In pediatric care, parents often manage appointments, medications, questions, insurance, communication with doctors, and follow-up instructions. In adult care, teens and young adults are expected to take on more responsibility for their health.
For teens with lupus, that can include learning how to:
The transition years can be especially vulnerable for teens with lupus. Missed appointments, medication challenges, emotional stress, or gaps in care can affect long-term health.
Support groups can help teens practice self-advocacy, hear from others who understand, and feel less isolated as they learn to manage lupus in real life.
When your teen is living with lupus, it is natural to focus on appointments, medications, lab results, and symptoms. But emotional support, confidence, and connection are also part of care.
A teen who feels supported may be more willing to:
A support group can help reduce the isolation many teens feel after diagnosis. It can also help parents know that their child has another trusted, professionally guided source of support.
Your teen does not have to be outgoing to attend. They do not have to know exactly what to say. They can come, listen, and ease in at their own pace.
Sign Up for the June 16 Teen Support Group!
Lupus, also called systemic lupus erythematosus or SLE, is a chronic autoimmune disease. In lupus, the immune system mistakenly attacks healthy tissue, which can cause inflammation and damage in different parts of the body.
When lupus develops during childhood or the teen years, it is often called pediatric lupus or childhood-onset lupus.
In teens, lupus may affect the skin, joints, kidneys, blood, brain, heart, lungs, or other organs. Symptoms can vary widely from person to person, which is one reason lupus can be difficult to diagnose and manage.
Common symptoms in teens may include:
Because lupus can affect teens differently, families should always work closely with a pediatric rheumatologist or qualified medical provider.
Lupus can be unpredictable. Some days may feel manageable, while other days may bring fatigue, pain, flares, appointments, or emotional stress.
For teens, this can be especially hard. A teen may want to keep up with friends, school, sports, activities, or social events, but symptoms may interfere.
A teen with lupus may struggle with:
These feelings are real. Teens need medical care, but they also need understanding, connection, and emotional support.
Lupus can affect a teen’s school experience in ways that are not always visible.
A teen may look “fine” but still be dealing with fatigue, pain, brain fog, medication side effects, frequent appointments, or anxiety about falling behind.
Parents may want to ask their teen’s care team and school about possible support, such as:
Support is not about limiting your teen. It is about helping them stay connected to school and life while managing a real medical condition.
The move from pediatric care to adult care usually happens over time. Parents do not need to hand everything over at once.
Instead, families can help teens build confidence step by step.
A teen may start by:
This process can feel emotional for parents, too. It is normal to feel protective. The goal is not to push teens into independence before they are ready. The goal is to surround them with support while they practice.
Lupus LA’s virtual programs are designed to reach people wherever they are. You do not need to live in Los Angeles to join.
Families from California and across the country can access Lupus LA’s free virtual support.
If your teen is living with lupus, or if your family is still trying to understand what lupus means, Lupus LA can help you find connection, education, and support.
You and your family do not have to do this alone. Lupus LA is here for you.
Lupus, also called systemic lupus erythematosus or SLE, is a chronic autoimmune disease that can affect many parts of the body, including the joints, skin, kidneys, blood, brain, heart, and lungs. When lupus develops during childhood or the teen years, it is often called pediatric lupus or childhood-onset lupus.
For teens, lupus can affect more than physical health. It can also impact school, friendships, family life, confidence, mental health, and the process of becoming more independent.
Yes. Teenagers can develop lupus. While lupus is more commonly diagnosed in adults, children and teens can also be affected.
Teen lupus can be complex and may require ongoing care from a pediatric rheumatologist and other specialists. Because symptoms can vary from person to person, it is important for families to work closely with a medical team that understands pediatric lupus and the unique needs of adolescents.
Lupus can affect teens in different ways. Some teens may experience fatigue, joint pain, rashes, sun sensitivity, fevers, hair loss, mouth sores, headaches, brain fog, or swelling. Others may have more serious organ involvement, including kidney inflammation, that requires close monitoring.
Lupus can also affect a teen’s daily life. Flares, doctor visits, medication schedules, missed school, and uncertainty about symptoms can be stressful. Many teens also struggle with feeling different from their peers or not knowing how to explain lupus to friends, teachers, coaches, or classmates.
As teens get older, they gradually move from pediatric care to adult medical care. This transition is not just a change in doctors. It is a process of helping teens build the knowledge, confidence, and self-advocacy skills they need to manage lupus more independently.
Teens may need support learning how to understand their diagnosis, know their medications, ask questions during appointments, recognize symptoms, track flares, refill prescriptions, communicate with doctors, and speak up when something feels wrong.
For teens with lupus, preparing for this transition early can help reduce gaps in care and make the move into adult care feel less overwhelming.
Teens with lupus can find support through their medical team, family, school, mental health professionals, trusted friends, and lupus-focused support programs.
Lupus LA offers a free virtual Teen Support Group for teens ages 14–18 living with lupus. This group gives teens a safe, professionally moderated space to ask questions, connect with others who understand, and feel less alone.
Yes. Lupus LA’s Teen Support Group is designed specifically for teens ages 14–18 who are living with lupus.
The group is free and virtual, making it accessible to teens and families in California and across the country. Participants must complete the required consent form before attending.
Lupus LA provides free support, education, and connection for people affected by lupus, including teens and their families. Through virtual support groups, expert programs, patient resources, and community connection, Lupus LA helps families feel more informed and less alone.
For parents, Lupus LA can be a trusted line of support as you help your teen navigate diagnosis, treatment, school, symptoms, and the emotional challenges of living with lupus.
Lupus LA’s Teen Support Group is moderated by Liz Morasso, LCSW, a licensed therapist who also lives with lupus and was diagnosed as a teen.
Liz brings both professional mental health expertise and personal lived experience to the group. She understands what it can feel like to navigate lupus during adolescence and helps create a supportive space where teens can ask questions, share openly, or simply listen until they feel ready.
Parents can help by learning about lupus, listening without judgment, encouraging their teen to ask questions, supporting medication routines, communicating with the care team, and helping the school understand needed accommodations.
It is also important to help teens build independence gradually. This may include encouraging them to speak during appointments, track symptoms, learn medication names, and understand when to ask for help.
Parents do not have to do this alone. Lupus LA is here to support both teens and families.
Lupus can affect school attendance, concentration, energy, physical activity, and emotional well-being. Some teens may need school accommodations during flares, after medical appointments, or when fatigue and symptoms interfere with learning.
Families may want to speak with the school about options such as a 504 plan, flexibility for absences, rest breaks, extended time, modified physical activity, sun protection, or support during periods of increased symptoms.
With the right support, teens with lupus can stay connected to school, friendships, and the activities that matter to them.
If your teen is living with lupus, support can make a meaningful difference.
Lupus LA’s free Teen Support Group gives teens a place to feel understood, ask questions, learn from others, and connect with someone who knows what it is like to be diagnosed with lupus as a teenager.
Your teen does not have to go through this alone. Your family does not have to go through this alone.
Join Lupus LA’s Teen Support Group on Tuesday, June 16, 2026, at 5:30 PM PT.
Complete the Required Consent Form
Contact Lupus LA With Questions:
📧 info@lupusla.org
📱(310) 657-5667
📍 c/o Emerge, 16000 Ventura Blvd Suite 630, Encino, CA 91436
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