Many people know about juvenile idiopathic arthritis, but you don’t know about juvenile chronic arthritis so here we will tell you about what is juvenile chronic arthritis, its causes, symptoms, and how it is serious. We will tell you about it in detail.
Let us tell you things that will only help improve your child and their health. It is time to be a super parent!
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What Is Juvenile Chronic Arthritis?
Today we will clear your doubt about JIA, formerly called juvenile rheumatoid arthritis and it is also called juvenile chronic arthritis. JCA is long-haul joint inflammation, swelling, and stiffness in kids under the age of 16. This is a very common type of arthritis.
To be analyzed as juvenile idiopathic arthritis, joint pain should start before age 16, last more than 6 weeks, and not because of another illness or a known issue.
Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is identified by chronic, intermittent synovial inflammation that results in synovial joint effusion, and swollen, hypertrophy, painful joints.
How Many Types of Juvenile Arthritis?
Juvenile Arthritis is divided into several different conditions, mainly depending on how many joints it affects during six months and whether or not blood tests are positive for juvenile rheumatoid factor during the first 6 months. There are seven types of juvenile arthritis, it includes:
- Oligoarthritis: This type of arthritis affects half of all children who have juvenile arthritis.
- Polyarthritis (rheumatoid factor negative): This arthritis affects only 10 to 30% of children.
- Polyarthritis (rheumatoid factor positive): This type of arthritis affects older and teenagers and it is uncommon.
- Systemic arthritis: This type is also uncommon. The ‘Systemic’ means affecting the whole body, not only joints.
- Enthesitis-related arthritis: This type of juvenile arthritis is very uncommon.
- Psoriatic arthritis: It is related to the skin condition psoriasis and this type of juvenile arthritis is fairly uncommon.
- Undifferentiated arthritis: this type is also fairly uncommon.
What Are The Symptoms Of JCA?
There are some symptoms you know before it is too late. These also include mild or severe joint pain. The other symptoms are:
- Fatigue
- Limping
- Eye inflammation
- Feeling stiffness
- Avoiding using an arm or leg due to pain
- The clumsiness of the hands
- High fever
- Swelling on joints
- Warmth and redness in a joint
Sometimes any of these symptoms can seem like other health problem conditions. You have to ask your child if they feel any of these problems regularly, if this happens then you have to immediately talk to your healthcare provider.
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Causes of JCA
Most of the time juvenile chronic arthritis is likely caused by the child’s immune system falsely attacking the body’s own cells and tissues.
There are no such causes known as of now, but many problems come up because of this condition.
Sometimes causes are genetic but these conditions could be determined by environmental factors in the womb or in childhood.
According to the scientist, this could be triggered by some infections (such as viruses or bacteria), smoke, tobacco, or stress. Still, any of these possible risk factors have not been proven.
How To Diagnose?
When it comes to diagnosis then till now there is no single test to diagnose the disease. A doctor will talk to your child’s and they will check the past medical history and take a physical exam. A doctor will also ask you if you have any of these symptoms after this they recommend some tests. It includes:
- X-rays
- Blood tests
- Bone scan
- CT scan
- MRI
- Other tests such as electrocardiographs (ECG), Urine tests, Joint aspiration (arthrocentesis).
After some time doctors will repeat any of these tests to know is there any improvement or not.
Is There Any Difference Between JIA And JRA?
Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA) used to be called Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis (JRA). Still, the name has changed because it is not a kid version of the adult disease.
The “juvenile arthritis” term is used to express all the joint conditions in the body that affect kids and teens, and it also includes JIA.
How It Is Treated?
The aim of the treatment is to control the inflammation and pain as quickly as possible so that a child can continue a normal active life. The treatment will help to minimize the risk of long-term disability but it depends on the child’s age, health and symptoms.
Some Other Treatments
The doctor will suggest you have to change your lifestyle. It may include:
- Occupational therapy: This will improve the ability to do activities of your daily life.
- Physical therapy: It may help to improve joint function and muscle.
- Nutrition counseling: You should have to eat high nutrition foods.
- You have to provide enough rest for the body.
- Regular eye exams to detect an early eye change from inflammation.
- You have to try regular exercise and control your weight.
- Try to use your all joints to move or carry things.
Do You Think Arthritis Is Serious?
Some types of arthritis can cause serious complications in the body, like joint damage, growth problems, and eye inflammation. Treatment will help to controlling inflammation, improving function, pain, and prevent serious damage.
Conclusion
There are many children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis or juvenile chronic arthritis who do not have feel any symptoms by the time they reach adulthood. Kids who are test positive for the rheumatoid factor are more likely to have arthritis as adults.
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