Were you aware that there are over a hundred different kinds of arthritis? You also may not realize that arthritis does not just affect adults; unfortunately children can also develop this condition. Kids are liable to a form of this disorder known as juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. Arthritis in children has a lot of the same symptoms as those experienced by adults. Yet there are some significant differences that any parent should know more about.
Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis is a serious illness that causes joint inflammation that lasts about six weeks. This type of arthritis is actually not as uncommon as you may think, and can occur just as often as adult onset arthritis. In reality, fully one quarter of the population will eventually be afflicted with one kind of arthritis or another.
Since it’s a very complex kind of arthritis, it is extremely important to seek treatment; otherwise, it can in fact become life-threatening. Rheumatoid arthritis that has an effect on children comes in many kinds. These are based upon the specific parts of the body that are impacted in addition to the symptoms.
Several of the typical symptoms are joint swelling, accompanied by stiffness and pain. Swelling of the joints or bones and crippling pain may also be experienced. Following physical activity, these symptoms will be more noticeable. One may not be able to visually note pain and stiffness, but swelling will be very apparent. The swollen joint will appear red and will be tender to the touch. Children may suffer a variety of symptoms in the afflicted joint, from stiffness, to restricted mobility, to no motion at all.
Two other possible symptoms of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis are rash and fever. The fever that occasionally sets in is normally high and might dissipate without taking any medicine. If these conditions continue, it may not just be the flu or the common cold, even if the symptoms appear similar. They won’t simply hang around for a couple of days then disappear, but instead will return on a frequent basis. The associated rash is typically light pink and often appears then disappears on a haphazard basis.
Inflamed eyes are another typical indication of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. The symptoms include swelling and reddening of the eyes particularly around the iris. This is a highly distinctive symptom that is unique to juvenile arthritis, so you are not likely to attribute it to another medical ailment. This problem occurs mainly in children with pauciarticular JRA, and initially exhibits no signs or symptoms, however it can ultimately result in blindness.
If you ever notice these symptoms, you should get medical care for your child immediately. Juvenile arthritis in any form isn’t something that you should try to deal with on your own or ignore. There are a number of ways to treat the problem and give your child relief from arthritis pain.