Juvenile Arthritis – Being “In the Know”
Author: Shannon Miller
July is Juvenile Arthritis Awareness Month.
You might be thinking that you‘re not even sure of what “juvenile” arthritis refers to. So that you can now be “in the know,” SML is glad to fill you in – it refers to the numerous autoimmune and inflammatory conditions experienced by children ages 16 and younger.
The most common type of juvenile arthritis (though not the only type) is known as juvenile idiopathic arthritis, or JIA.
Symptoms of JIA that may be experienced over time include:
- Tissue tightening
- Bone erosion
- Joint misalignment
- Changes in growth patterns
JIA encompasses 4 different categories, which are defined by their specific symptoms. These categories include the following…
- Oligoarthritis: 4 or fewer joints are involved within the first 6 months
- Polyarthritis: 5 or more joints are involved within the first 6 months
- Systematic: non-contagious fever and rash; inflammation of the spleen or the membranes that cover the lungs and heart
- Enthesitis-related: inflammation of sites where tendons attach to the bone
Juvenile arthritis may not be anything your family ever has to worry about, but knowledge is power and it’s always better to be “in the know,” particularly when it comes to health-related issues.
For more detailed information about juvenile arthritis, please visit: “What is Juvenile Arthritis?”, Arthritis.org.