Juvenile Arthritis Can Be a Big Problem For Little People

As children, we should be able to have fun and enjoycause minor skin irritation and fever. It can also
those peaceful times of our life. We should be freeinvolve internal organs which could include the heart,
to enjoy everything that happens around us fromspleen and liver. Unfortunately, about 20% of children
learning about butterflies to doing our first solo bikesuffering from juvenile arthritis suffer from systemic
ride to watching our fathers fix things in the garage.JRA.
At that time in our lives, we don't think of the futureCare and Causes
and are allowed to believe that everything will go onEach of the three types of juvenile arthritis are
as it is today. Yes, we'll get minor illnesses such asautoimmune diseases. What this means is that the
mumps, chicken pox, measles and coughs but we'llchild's body is confusing its own cells and tissues as a
get through it. Juvenile arthritis, on the other hand, isthreat. This causes the body (or more specifically its
not so easy to overcome and can be very difficultimmune system) to attack the healthy tissues and
for children to cope with.cells. It is believed that juvenile arthritis can develop
Not Only Grandparents Suffer From Arthritisdue to both environmental and genetic factors.
Over time we assimilate knowledge of ailments andThere are several symptoms that show whether a
illnesses and most of us know that arthritis is anchild suffers from juvenile arthritis or not. They
affliction that normally affects older people andinclude:
makes bones and joints ache. What many of us don't- Constant swelling of the joints
know however is that there are over 100 different- · Continuous stiffness that usually worsens
types of arthritis and one of those is known asafter sleeping
juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA) - or juvenile- · Eye irritation
arthritis. This disease is unlike many other types of- · Frequent pain
arthritis as it affects children aged 16 and under.- · Growth problems
Diagnosed with this condition, children can experience- · Heart and lung problems
swelling and stiffness for over six weeks. There are- · High fever and minor skin rash
three known types of juvenile arthritis, and they are- · Limping during the morning
grouped by symptoms, which joints are affected and- · Problems involving joints in the feet and
whether or not blood tests identify specifichands, and knees
antibodies.- · Swelling of nymph nodes
Half of all children with juvenile arthritis have what isAfter a successful diagnosis has been made, there
known as Pauciarticular JRA. This affects a maximumare several ways in which juvenile arthritis can be
of 4 joints. Girls under 8 years old are most prone totreated. Physical therapy is the first, biologic agents
developing this type of JRA which normally affectssuch as etanercerpt, disease-modifying anti-rheumatic
larger joints such as knees or shoulders.drugs, alternative and complimentary medicine,
Additionally, roughly a third of all children who suffercorticosteroids and non-steroid anti-inflammatory
from juvenile arthritis suffer from Polyarticular JRA.drugs such as aspirin and ibuprofen.
This tends to affect smaller joints such as in feet andAs you can imagine, a disease such as juvenile
hands. It is important to note here that this type ofarthritis is very difficult for a child to endure but it is
arthritis affects the identical joint on both sides ofuplifting to know that as diagnoses and treatments
the child's body.get better, the condition will also become more
Thirdly, as well as joint swelling, systemic JRA canmanageable for the child.