Although there are some arthritis issues shared by all with arthritis, juvenile arthritis and rheumatoid arthritis uniquely affects the child with its impact on school, friends, dating, sports and many other aspects of a child or juvenile life. Additionally, there is a lack of support and understanding for the child or juvenile who has an "adult" disease like arthritis.

Arthritis refers to joint pain and inflammation. The American College of Rheumatology defines juvenile arthritis as a chronic condition that causes inflammation in one or more joints and begins before the age of 16.

Eliminate Rheumatoid Arthritis Pain Immediately

Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis is the most common form of arthritis in the child and affects about 71,000 in the United States. Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis is a disease of the joints that can also affect other organs. A child can have other forms of arthritis including;

_ Systemic lupus erythematosus: a chronic inflammatory disease characterized by fever and rash that may attack organs such as joints, kidneys, the brain, lungs, and heart.
_ Juvenile dermatomyositis: a disease that causes a skin rash and weak muscles in children, and may be accompanied by swollen joints.
_ Ankylosing spondylitis: a type of arthritis which primarily affects the spine and hips. It usually occurs in males.
_ Reiter's syndrome: a form of arthritis that may cause inflammation of the urinary tract, inflammation of the eyelids, mouth ulcers, and/or skin rash.
_ B-27 Arthritis: a form of arthritis that occurs more often in older boys and affects only a few joints--usually the back, and large joints of the legs such as hips, knees, and ankles.
_ Scleroderma: a disease that can affect the skin, joints, blood vessels, and internal organs.
_ Inflammatory bowel (Crohn's) disease: a disease that can affect the intestines, causing diarrhea and abdominal pain.

There are three main forms of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. Polyarticular juvenile rheumatoid arthritis affects five or more joints. Pauciarticular juvenile rheumatoid arthritis affects four or fewer joints. Systemic juvenile rheumatoid arthritis affects both the joints and the internal organs.

The child or juvenile with rheumatoid arthritis can go into remission that lasts for months or years or can completely "outgrow" juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. The child or juvenile with rheumatoid arthritis will likely recover with few to no serious or permanent disability but there are long-term consequences to juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. The child with pauciarticular juvenile rheumatoid arthritis is at a higher risk of chronic eye inflammation. The child with polyarticular or systemic juvenile rheumatoid arthritis can have serious joint problems or experience decreased growth.

Get Rid of Rheumatoid Arthritis Pain for Good

Most people think of arthritis as an ‘old person’ disease but arthritis, and especially rheumatoid arthritis, can occur at any age. Even an infant child can have rheumatoid arthritis. Juvenile arthritis can be difficult to diagnose because children often compensate well for loss of function. Additionally, infections, childhood malignancies and musculoskeletal conditions can mimic juvenile rheumatoid arthritis.

_ Persistent joint swelling, pain, and stiffness that are typically worse in the morning or after a nap.
_ One of the earliest signs of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis may be limping in the morning.
_ The child with systemic juvenile arthritis may have a high fever and a light pink rash. Systemic juvenile rheumatoid arthritis can also cause the lymph nodes located in the neck and other parts of the body to swell.
_ Limping.
_ Stiffness when awakening.
_ Reluctance to use a limb.

Though adults with rheumatoid arthritis typically have lifelong symptoms, the child with rheumatoid arthritis has a god chance of outgrowing the illness. Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis symptoms disappear in over half of all affected children. The causes of juvenile arthritis are unknown but is thought to be an autoimmune problem stemming from genetic and environmental factors.

A major goal in treating the child and juvenile with arthritis is to preserve a high level of physical functioning, social functioning and quality of life. The choices of drugs for children are similar to those for adult arthritis. Some arthritis drugs are not FDA approved for the child and all have side effects that should be carefully considered before deciding to place a growing child on these high powered drugs.

Exercise is an important component of the child arthritis treatment plan. Exercise helps maintain muscle tone and range of motion of the joints. A physical therapist can design an appropriate exercise program for a child with juvenile arthritis.

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