Kids Get Arthritis Too: July Is Juvenile Arthritis Awareness Month
Arthritis is most commonly considered an older person’s disease. And with good reason: The majority of arthritis patients are adults with osteoarthritis, the type of disease associated with wear and tear on the joints.
However, there is another type of arthritis that can affect children. About 1 in every 1,000 children in the U.S.—about 300,000 total—have juvenile arthritis (JA), an autoimmune condition. July is Juvenile Arthritis Awareness Month 2021, and at South Island Orthopedics, we’re committed to both helping these children live active, healthy lives and raise awareness of this painful disease that’s often misunderstood in young people.
In fact, the pediatric orthopedic specialists at SIO are committed to helping children with a range of orthopedic conditions, from simple sprains and fractures to chronic conditions like JA, cerebral palsy, and muscular dystrophy. Parents on Long Island can rest assured that their children are receiving the best possible care in a kid-friendly, welcoming environment that’s close to home.
Why We Recognize Juvenile Arthritis Awareness Month 2021
Although JA shares some similarities with the adult disease, it’s not identical, and it’s often surprising to hear about a child with the condition. That’s why Juvenile Arthritis Awareness Month was launched: To help parents, teachers, friends, and others gain a better understanding of the disease and how to support patients.
Juvenile arthritis is the name for the disease that causes joint inflammation in children. Although other conditions can cause acute joint inflammation, doctors diagnose arthritis when the swelling, pain, and stiffness in the joints aren’t relieved or cured by other treatments.
Unlike osteoarthritis—which is caused by time and use—that breaks down joint cartilage, causing bones to rub together, JA is an autoimmune disease. Autoimmune diseases cause the immune system to attack healthy cells and tissues in the body, leading to inflammation, pain, and a loss of function.
Arthritis in kids is known as juvenile idiopathic arthritis, meaning it stems from unknown causes. Researchers have even determined that it’s not a genetic condition. There are different types of JA, which, include:
- Systemic JA affects the whole body and also causes fevers, rash, and joint pain.
- Oligoarticular affects four or fewer joints and is the most common— and often mildest— form of the disease.
- Polyarticular arthritis—rheumatoid factor negative—affects five or more joints and causes fever and the development of bumps when pressure is put on the body.
- Polyarticular arthritis— rheumatoid factor positive—indicates a child has specific proteins in their blood that make them more susceptible to joint damage and erosion of joint tissue.
- Psoriatic arthritis causes a red, scaly rash in addition to joint pain.
- Enthesitis-related arthritis affects the legs and spine by causing inflammation in areas where tendons attach to bones. This form of arthritis is often associated with juvenile ankylosing spondylitis (inflammation of the lower back joints) and inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn’s or ulcerative colitis).
- Undifferentiated arthritis, meaning the condition fits into more than one type—or none of the previous categories.
Different types of arthritis present with different symptoms, and require variations in treatment. Although pediatric rheumatologists are typically the primary medical providers for JA patients, most children see a team of doctors, including orthopedists, ophthalmologists, dentists, and others.
Do You Suspect Juvenile Arthritis? When to See a Doctor
One of the goals of Juvenile Arthritis Awareness Month 2021 is to alert parents and caregivers to the signs of JA. Sometimes, the symptoms can mimic other conditions and aren’t always obvious. Again, because most people associate arthritis with painful, swollen joints, in the elderly, it’s easy to mistake symptoms of JA for something else.
It’s also important to note that while pain and joint swelling are common with 