What is juvenile arthritis?
Juvenile arthritis refers to all types of arthritis that affect children. However, it is fortunately quite rare. There
are three main types of juvenile arthritis:
- Polyarthritis - this type affects five or
more joints and is more common in girls. This type commonly affects
smaller joints like the hands and feet, though larger joints may
also be affected. It often affects the same joint on both sides
of the body.
- Pauci-articular juvenile arthritis - this
is the most common type and affects four joints or less. This
type usually affects larger joints such as the knees or ankles.
- Systemic juvenile arthritis - this type affects
both the joints and internal organs, causing rashes and a fever.
This type used to be known as Still's
disease.
Children's joints
can sometimes swell because of another condition, such as chickenpox or German measles. However, if the joints remain inflamed for
over two months and no other cause can be found, this is known as
juvenile chronic arthritis (JCA). In other parts of the world JCA
is sometimes known as juvenile rheumatoid arthritis.
Children can develop JCA at any time,
though it usually starts between the ages of one and four.
What causes juvenile arthritis?
Like arthritis in adults the actual cause of juvenile
arthritis is unknown. However, like rheumatoid arthritis,
research shows that juvenile arthritis is an autoimmune disease, which means the body's immune
system reacts to something abnormal in the body and tries to
remove it. Juvenile arthritis is not thought to run
in families and is not contagious.
What are the symptoms of juvenile
arthritis?
Symptoms can vary greatly in every
child from mild to severe. The following symptoms may indicate that
your child has arthritis:
- Swelling and redness in one or more joints.
- Stiffness around the joints, especially first
thing in the morning. You may notice that your child limps in
the morning or has trouble using an arm.
- Constant or recurring pain in a joint.
- Sudden difficulty in moving or using a joint.
Systemic juvenile arthritis may also cause a fever,
rash and swollen glands. On very rare occasions children with systemic
juvenile arthritis may develop inflammation of the coverings of
the heart and lungs. A severe complication of pauci-articular arthritis
is eye inflammation called chronic iridocyclitis. If your child
has arthritis ensure they have their eyes checked regularly.
If your child has severe arthritis a slowing of growth
may occur. However, the growth rate will return to normal when the
arthritis improves.
How long does juvenile arthritis last?
It is difficult to say how long juvenile
arthritis will last. Some children will recover after a few months
and some may suffer for years. However, most children will be able
to lead a normal life and will go into adulthood fully recovered.
Like rheumatoid arthritis in adults, juvenile arthritis may go into remission (when it looks like
the arthritis has gone away) for awhile and then flare up again.
How is juvenile arthritis
diagnosed?
Your doctor will suspect arthritis from
your child's symptoms and medical history. In many cases arthritis
may also be diagnosed from a physical examination of the joints,
especially if it's a large joint that is affected. There is no one
test that can definitively diagnose juvenile arthritis, so your child
may need a number of blood tests and on occasions fluid from the
joint may be taken for examination. An x-ray of the affected area
will usually be carried out to exclude any other bone disorders or illnesses.
How is juvenile arthritis
treated?
Children with arthritis will usually
get better over time if they receive proper treatment. Some children
may only require a simple, daily exercise program to help ease
pain and improve movement in the joint. If the joint is painful
and swollen the child will need to rest in bed and may require a
splint to prevent the joint from becoming deformed.
There are also many prescription
drugs available to relieve pain and reduce inflammation around the joint. The main drugs used are non-steroidal anti-inflammatory
drugs (N.S.A.I.D.s) and cortisone injections or tablets. If your child has severe arthritis they may be
prescribed disease-modifying drugs to slow down the progress of the disease and reduce
inflammation.
Your child may also require an exercise program, which will usually be carried out at a local hospital. These exercises are
aimed at strengthening the muscles and helping the muscles to develop.
Heat pads can be used before exercise to relieve pain.
What can I do to help my child?
If your child has arthritis treat them
as normal as possible and ensure they get regular medical care.
Your child should be encouraged to exercise, swimming is an ideal
exercise for children with arthritis.
Most children will be able to attend
an ordinary school, though you should ensure the teachers at the school are aware that your child has arthritis. Explain
to the teachers what arthritis it is and what your child may require.
Related topics
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