By: Haley Malone
Juvenile arthritis is an umbrella condition that affects 300,000 children a year. It is also referred to as pediatric rheumatic disease. It is considered pediatric when it is affecting children under the age of 16 years old. There are many different kinds of juvenile arthritis, and while they share some common symptoms, they each have specifics that make them unique. There are autoimmune diseases and inflammatory conditions covered under this umbrella diagnosis of Juvenile Arthritis.
Types of JA:
Causes and Treatment:
There are no known causes of JA, however there is research pointing towards genetics that flag people to be more susceptible. There is no cure for it, however proper and quick diagnosis of the disease. An accurate and thorough physical exam is the only way to be able to diagnose a specific type of JA. Blood tests will only be helpful once the type of JA is identified by the physician. A typical plan to treat any of the types of JA include healthy eating, physical activity, pain relief via medication, and eye care.
Awareness and Foundations:
The Arthritis Foundation hold many resources for those with arthritis of all kinds, as well as a specific portion of the website that focused on juvenile arthritis called “Kids Get Arthritis Too”. The National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Disease also has resources available for those who are interested in learning more about the diseases that fall under JA.
Links to resources:
http://www.arthritis.org/about-arthritis/types/juvenile-arthritis/
https://www.niams.nih.gov/Health_Info/Juv_Arthritis/juvenile_arthritis_ff.asp
http://www.kidsgetarthritistoo.org
Sources:
Welcome to KidsGetArthritisToo.org. (n.d.). Retrieved June 30, 2017, from http://www.kidsgetarthritistoo.org/
Juvenile Arthritis. (n.d.). Retrieved June 30, 2017, from http://www.arthritis.org/about-arthritis/types/juvenile-arthritis/
Types of JA:
- Juvenile idiopathic arthritis
- Juvenile dermatomyositis
- Juvenile lupus
- Juvenile scleroderma
- Kawasaki disease
- Mixed connective tissue disease
- Fibromyalgia
Causes and Treatment:
There are no known causes of JA, however there is research pointing towards genetics that flag people to be more susceptible. There is no cure for it, however proper and quick diagnosis of the disease. An accurate and thorough physical exam is the only way to be able to diagnose a specific type of JA. Blood tests will only be helpful once the type of JA is identified by the physician. A typical plan to treat any of the types of JA include healthy eating, physical activity, pain relief via medication, and eye care.
Awareness and Foundations:
The Arthritis Foundation hold many resources for those with arthritis of all kinds, as well as a specific portion of the website that focused on juvenile arthritis called “Kids Get Arthritis Too”. The National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Disease also has resources available for those who are interested in learning more about the diseases that fall under JA.
Links to resources:
http://www.arthritis.org/about-arthritis/types/juvenile-arthritis/
https://www.niams.nih.gov/Health_Info/Juv_Arthritis/juvenile_arthritis_ff.asp
http://www.kidsgetarthritistoo.org
Sources:
Welcome to KidsGetArthritisToo.org. (n.d.). Retrieved June 30, 2017, from http://www.kidsgetarthritistoo.org/
Juvenile Arthritis. (n.d.). Retrieved June 30, 2017, from http://www.arthritis.org/about-arthritis/types/juvenile-arthritis/