Kids get arthritis, too
Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, sometimes just called juvenile arthritis, affects one in 1,000 Canadian children under 16 years old. That statistic makes it more common than diseases like cystic fibrosis and diabetes.
A child is generally diagnosed with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis if the signs and symptoms of arthritis (swelling, redness, stiffness and warmth in the joints) last more than six weeks. Some children don't feel any pain, but instead experience a very limited range of motion in their joints as they become stiffer - it may vary quite a bit for each child. Although this type of arthritis can affect any joint, it mainly appears in the knees, feet and hands. The good news is that many kids outgrow it.
There are three kinds of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis: pauciarticular, polyarticular and systemic.
The most common form is pauciarticular. About 50% of kids with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis have this type. It affects four or fewer joints, generally the larger joints (like hips and knees). It's most often diagnosed in girls under eight years old.
Polyarticular arthritis is the next most common form, affecting about 30% of children with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. It's a more severe type than pauciarticular, involving five or more joints, usually the smaller ones (such as hands and feet).
About 20% of children have the last type, systemic, which can sometimes continue into adulthood. In addition to the typical arthritis symptoms, it also causes fever and may affect internal organs like the liver and heart.
When doctors treat children with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, their main concern is to keep the kids active and moving, so that they're able to get the most out of life. The same drugs that are used for rheumatoid arthritis in adults are often recommended. Physiotherapy also plays an important role in keeping their joints as limber as possible.
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