Our childhood should be one of the most joyful periods of our lives. Everything from a bright fluttering butterfly to learning how to ride a bicycle, to watching our father repair a car engine, seems new and exciting. We have no sense of the future, and believe that every day will be like today. Minor sicknesses such as the chicken pox, measles, and mumps, seem to be a routine part of childhood. However, more serious ailments, such as juvenile arthritis, can be extremely taxing for boys and girls.

Arthritis Affects More Than Grandparents

Based on our personal experiences alone, most of us know that arthritis is a medical condition in which the joints in one’s bodies become swollen and painful. However, several types of arthritis exist, including one referred to as juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA), or juvenile arthritis. This disease affects children aged 16-years-old or younger. The sufferer experiences swelling and stiffness for over six weeks. Three types of juvenile arthritis exist, and are based on symptoms, how many joints are affected, and whether or not blood tests uncover particular antibodies.

One half of all kids with juvenile arthritis have Pauciarticular JRA. A maximum of four joints are affected. Girls less than 8-years-old are most liable to develop this JRA type, which usually affects huge joints (i.e. knees)

Next, roughly a third of all kids with juvenile arthritis, suffer from Polyarticular JRA. This disease affects at least five joints. While huge joints can be affected, Polyarticular JRA tends to smaller joints (i.e. in feet and hands). It is noteworthy that this form of arthritis affects the identical joint on both halves of the child’s body.

Thirdly, in addition to joint swelling, systemic JRA typically causes minor skin irritation and fever, and can even involve internal organs which include the spleen, heart, and liver. About 20% of all children who suffer from juvenile JRA, suffer from systemic JRA.

Causes And Care

The three forms of juvenile arthritis are all autoimmune disorders. In other words, the child’s body errs in classifying some of its very own tissues and cells as alien. The result is that the body’s immune system starts to attack healthy tissues and cells. Scientists believe that both environmental and genetic factors cause juvenile arthritis to develop in youngsters.

Several indicators reveal that a child suffers from juvenile arthritis. They include:

constant swelling of the joints

continuous stiffness that usually worsens after sleeping

eye irritation

frequent pain

growth problems

heart and lung problems

high fever and minor skin rash

limping during the morning

problems involving joints in the feet and hands, and knees

swelling of nymph nodes

Once a child has been diagnosed with juvenile arthritis, several types of treatment exist. They include physical therapy, biologic agents (i.e. etanercept), disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs, alternative and complementary medicine, corticosteroids , and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (i.e. aspirin and ibuprofen)

Childhood diseases such as juvenile arthritis are difficult for any child to endure. However, as the diagnoses and treatments improve, the disease will become more bearable for youngsters—who all deserve a joyful childhood.