Juvenile Arthritis Symptoms

What is Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis?

This disease affects nearly 50,000 children in the United States and currently has no known cure.

Normally appearing between the ages of 6 months to 16 years of age, juvenile rheumatoid arthritis can produce symptoms of joint pain, swelling and reddened or warm joints.

These may often be among the most common initial signs seen in juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, JRA.

Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic condition.

Exactly what is juvenile rheumatoid arthritis? The three major types of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis are polyarticular arthritis, Pauciarticular arthritis and systemic arthritis. 

Girls are more affected with polyarticular arthritis than boys. Symptoms for polyarticular arthritis include swelling or pain in five or more joints.

Pauciarticular arthritis, the second major type of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, affects four or fewer joints. Accounting for more than half of the cases of arthritis in children, symptoms for pauciarticular arthritis can include pain, stiffness or swelling in the joints.

Wrist and knee joints are the most commonly affected with this type of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis.

Children will begin to limp often as an initial sign of pauciarticular arthritis. Iridocyclitis can also occur. This is an inflammation of the iris which can be detected by an ophthalmologist.

Systemic arthritis is the third major type of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. This type of arthritis affects the whole body.

Symptoms for systemic juvenile rheumatoid arthritis include high fevers, pale appearance, rash and the spleen and lymph nodes may become enlarged.

A visit to your child’s pediatrician or primary care physician is certainly in order if you child begins to experience any of the symptoms associated with JRA.

However, don’t be dismayed if it takes several tests and the passage of at least six weeks with symptoms before a final diagnosis of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. The goal is early diagnosis coupled with aggressive treatment in order to get the best long term management for your child. A rheumatologist is a strong partner for the best care for JRA.

What is juvenile rheumatoid arthritis?

This autoimmune disorder can be both mild and severe. Left untreated the pain and physical changes can certainly alter the quality of your child’s life. The signs and symptoms of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis can be subtle or obvious. Signs may include a subtle change such as limping or an ongoing complaint of a sore wrist or knee. Stiffness in the neck, hips or other joints can also occur, often seen most commonly in the morning.

The treatment of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis may include medication, physical therapy and exercise. It is important that your child eat a well balanced diet with plenty of calcium to promote bone health.

Don’t hesitate…call your child’s pediatrician for an appointment today if you believe that your child has any of the signs and symptoms of JRA.

What is juvenile rheumatoid arthritis? The best answer…it’s an autoimmune disease that does have treatment options available to help reduce the pain and discomfort of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis.