There are several juvenile arthritis symptoms to look for if you think your child has juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA).
Juvenile arthritis is a chronic inflammation of the joints in children and can be a relatively mild condition causing few problems, or it can a much more severe and chronic disease producing severe complications and often life altering results.
The inflammation of JRA occurs frequently and usually lasts over a long period of time. Generally, juvenile rheumatoid arthritis affects children under the age of 16 years old.
Juvenile arthritis is a type of autoimmune disease. With autoimmune diseases the body’s immune system sees its own tissue as foreign invaders and ends up attacking itself. This causes the joint lining to become inflamed causing swelling and stiffness.
Some of the symptoms to look for if you think your child may have juvenile arthritis is joint stiffness, pain, redness and warmth of the joint and swelling.
Limbs may be different lengths due to bones in the affected joint growing too quickly or too slowly.
Contracture may also occur. This happens when the child tries to avoid moving a painful joint causing the muscle to shorten from disuse.
There are two different subtypes of juvenile arthritis depending upon the juvenile rheumatoid arthritis symptoms that appear within the first six months the child develops the disorder. Pauciarticular or oligoarticular is the most common type of juvenile arthritis.
This subtype of juvenile arthritis affects approximately 40 to 60% of all juvenile arthritis patients and has the least severe joint symptoms. With pauciarticular juvenile arthritis fewer than four joints are affected and usually the child’s overall growth is not affected.
However, some children may develop a condition of the eyes called iridocyclitis. This is the inflammation of the iris.
Iridocyclitis has no symptoms, but can be detected during an eye exam. Juvenile arthritis symptoms of pauciarticular are characterized by flare-ups and remissions.
The other subtype of juvenile arthritis is polyarticular juvenile arthritis. This affects approximately 30% of children with juvenile arthritis. Polyarticular arthritis affects five or more joints at the same time and can affect overall leg growth. Other polyarticular juvenile arthritis symptoms include low fever, mild rash, anemia and decreased growth and appetite.
Treatment for juvenile arthritis centers on decreasing juvenile arthritis symptoms. The reduction of the symptoms of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis will help to reduce the destruction of the joints and prevent additional joint damage.
The use of medications, physical therapy and exercise are effective treatments for juvenile arthritis symptoms. Following your child’s rheumatologist’s recommendations and treatment plan can help reduce juvenile arthritis pain and can help you provide the best healthcare options for your child.