Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA) is a form of arthritis that effects children up to the age of 16 for at least 6 weeks.
JRA may cause stiffness and inflammation in a kid’s joints and can become extremely uncomfortable. There is a varying degree
of severity with this form of arthritis. The stiffness and inflammation may only be temporary or it may cause extreme damage
to the joints and cause permanent disfigurement.
Although not much is known about JRA there are some medications available to help treat it and reduce the inflammations.
The pain and inflammation will never be fully relieved, however, as there is no known cure to juvenile rheumatoid arthritis.
Unlike adult forms of arthritis that may be a lifelong problem, most of JRA only last during childhood and are outgrown.
Parents should be on the lookout for symptoms of regular rheumatoid arthritis such as lumps. If any of these symptoms are
found you should consult a doctor immediately as it may be the onset of rheumatoid arthritis commonly found in
adults.
There are a few types of JRA depending on the amount of joints it effects. The first type is pauciarticular that effects
four or fewer joints. Pauciarticular arthritis is 5 times more likely to occur in girls than in boys and tends to happen at
a young age. Pauciarticular usually effects large joint such as the knees. Polyarticular is a form of JRA with five or more
joints are attacked. Once again, girls are targeted more often than boys are and the arthritis is usually mirrored on both
sides of the body. Polyarticular can effect larger joints as well as smaller joints such as the hands and feet. The most
severe form of JRA is known as systemic which only accounts for about 10% of all JRA cases. Unlike the other forms of JRA
is found evenly in boys and girls. Systemic JRA is characterized with fevers and rashes on the body and may even effect
internal organs.
Like other forms of arthritis it is critical to diagnose JRA in its infancy. Catching it early on will increase the chances
of treating it effectively, especially if it is the onset of adult rheumatoid arthritis. If you suspect that your child has
juvenile rheumatoid arthritis it is important to go to your physician as early as possible. Many times your family
physician will refer you to a pediatric rheumatolgoist who specializes in juvenile arthritis.
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