If you look at the definition of arthritis, you will see that this is a "disease that affects joints". The definition further says that, "the pain can manifest itself in any joint, and usually is found in more than one joint in the body".

The symptoms that herald this disease (which has no age or gender barrier) indicate that it affects equally the old, the young and the kids. This disease sometimes is totally debilitating because it affects those joints which are used the most to move around. Thankfully, in many case the child-arthritis it is only a temporary disease. Others experience oscillation in the symptoms, i.e. the joint swell and reduce - known as flaring and remission of the joints in the patient.

How Do Children Contact Juvenile Arthritis?

The juvenile arthritis is mostly contacted in two ways; i.e. (i) hereditary where it can be "handed-over" from mother/father to child; (ii) through a viral attack. A little fact known about the juvenile arthritis is that it is a combination three different types of arthritis rolled into one, i.e. Pauciarticular, Systemis and Polyarticular.

The commonest type found in juvenile arthritis is the Pauciarticular juvenile arthritis. This disease affects the majority of the children, and isolated studies show that the disease is partial to girls more than the boys. Once this disease develops, it can create havoc inside the body. The most affected joints are the elbow joints, knee joints, hip joints, ankles and so on. The disease seems to be affecting children under 4 years of age.

The effects of the disease on the child can be very harmful. The Pauciarticular juvenile arthritis is known to even affect the eyes of the children, and hence great care should be taken that with periodic eye tests to arrest and prevent further damage.

The First Manifestation Of Pauciarticular Juvenile Arthritis In Your Child

If you observe that your child is all of a sudden limping without any apparent rhyme or reason, he/she might be suffering from arthritis. Observe the child carefully and check out whether the limp is voluntary and involuntary; if he/she limps in an involuntary manner, then the child may be referred for a doctor for prescription of a symptomatic treatment. It is very important that the child fights the disease as and when it manifests itself, in order to ensure that the child's joints grow and develop normally.