Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis

Many parents receive the word that their child has arthritis. This is often a confusing and challenging time for parents. Arthritis is the name of the medical condition which results in inflammation in and around the joint area in the body. It is often recognized by the pain that an individual experiences, swelling, and even heat in the affected area. It has been estimated that nearly 500,000 children in the United States alone suffer each year from some form of arthritis. Here, you will be introduced to juvenile rheumatoid arthritis.

As a parent, it is important for you to understand that if your child suffers from any form of arthritis, it may not always last a lifetime. Many children only experience arthritis for a short amount of time. This amount of time can be as little as a few weeks or as much as a few years. While there are some cases of arthritis that last for the duration of a child's life, these situations are often quite rare. It is important for parents to also know and understand that juvenile rheumatoid arthritis is the most common form of arthritis that is experienced by children.

The ultimate cause of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis is unknown. However, it has been established that this particular type of arthritis that children suffer from is an autoimmune disease. This means that in children that have this form of arthritis, the white blood cells are unable to determine the difference between foreign substances in the body and healthy cells. The white blood cells will then release a set of chemicals that can damage tissues in the body. This tissue is normally quite healthy. As a result, the child will experience pain and high levels of inflammation.

Many parents who discover that their child have juvenile rheumatoid arthritis may fear that their child will be unable to live a productive and healthy life. However, this is not true. If a diagnosis of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis is received early in the disease, the effects of the disease can be minimized and the child can be placed on treatments to soothe the symptoms that are associated with the condition. As a parent, it is important that you learn as much as you possibly can about juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. This includes the symptoms associated with the disease, and the types of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis.

The first thing that you should understand is that the condition of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis can develop as early as six months of age. There are many cases of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis that are not discovered until a child is around sixteen years of age. Normally, the first indication that there is a problem with the child is a symptom that includes pain in the area of the joints, or swelling in and around the joint area. Many other symptoms may cause a parent to become concerned over the health of their child. Examples are fatigue, skin that is red around the joints, and even skin that is hot to touch in these areas.

The following details other symptoms that are generally associated with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis:

• Stiffness in various locations around the body is often common in JRA. This includes the area of the wrists, neck, hips, and other areas where joints are present.
• Many children who develop juvenile rheumatoid arthritis may develop a rash. These skin symptoms may come and go quickly. They may appear in one location and then move on to another location.
• Many parents notice that their children who have juvenile rheumatoid arthritis may experience frequent fevers. Generally, these fevers occur in the evening hours.

There are different types of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. The major types of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis include three different kinds. Here, we will briefly introduce you to these types of arthritis.

1) Pauciarticular- With this type of JRA, children will only have four or less joints affected by juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. Children who experience this form of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis will often have inflammation in the area of the eyes. However, pain and swelling among the joints of the body are also common.

2) Polyarticular - This type of JRA affects at least five joints, and is most common in girls. It is common for the joints of the hips, feet, and hands to be greatly affected by this form of arthritis. Having a fever is also common in this type of JRA.

3) Systemic - With this type of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, a child will experience fevers, rashes, aches, pains, and inflammation.

Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis is a serious condition among children today. While there is no control for this type of arthritis, there are many treatments available that can help soothe the symptoms associated with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis.