Arthritis is commonly associated with old age. When a young person complains of body aches, it is simply dismissed as a result of fatigue that is caused by youthful activities that usually require physical strain. However, arthritis, which generally refers to joint inflammation, can also affect the young. In the United States alone, about a quarter of a million children suffer from juvenile arthritis.

Juvenile arthritis refers to the chronic inflammation of joints in children under the age of 16. It is considered an autoimmune disease which means that it is a condition where a body attacks its own tissues and cells. It has no known definitive causes but experts believe that the answer lies in the genetic make-up of a child. They believe that a child suffering from juvenile arthritis has genes that made him vulnerable to the disease and that something from the environment triggered the activation of the disease. However, this disease is not hereditary.

The symptoms of juvenile arthritis may differ with each patient. Some children may experience symptoms that worsen over time, while some may experience symptoms that recur after disappearing over some period of time. The progression of the disease is also indefinite. There are cases where the symptoms are "outgrown" by the child, but there are also cases where the symptoms continuously manifest years after the diagnosis.

The symptoms of this disease include the swelling of joints, either on one side or on both sides of the body, and the appearance of rashes. The number of joints affected can also differ. Another manifestation is the presence of joint pains in the morning that eventually disappears after a considerable amount of time. Affected joints could also be tender, red and warm to the touch. Children with this disease could also experience muscle weakness and fever. In other cases, children with this disease also suffer from complications in the functioning of internal organs. Eye complications can also be experienced. This disease may also result in stunted overall growth, but it could cause the growth of some joints to unevenly speed up.

There are three types of juvenile arthritis: pauciarticular, polyarticular and systemic. Pauciarticular refers to the type that targets only one or a few joints, usually the knee, ankle or wrist. This could also cause eye inflammation which could lead to permanent blindness if untreated.

Polyarticular arthritis affects about five or more smaller joints, such as the fingers in the hands and feet, usually on a particular side of the body.

The third type, systemic arthritis, is manifested through joint inflammation, pain and limited mobility of at least one joint. Internal organs, such as the liver and heart could also be affected. The presence of swollen lymph nodes should also be noted. These symptoms could also be accompanied by a high fever that lasts for at least two weeks.

Early diagnosis is important so that the best course of treatment could be taken immediately. Treatment relieves the swelling, pain and seeks to preserve the mobility of affected joints.