A crippling and life-threatening disease
Mind-body therapies, such as meditation, deep breathing, and distraction techniques, can work wonders helping your child focus on something other than the pain.
While the use of supplements in children has rarely been studied, you may like to ask your doctor whether there is anything that could help your child with their JA.
Finally, it’s important that your child or teenager has a strong support network to help them deal with tough emotions and learn effective coping strategies.
Sources: (Arthritis Foundation)
It is important that children and teens make the right lifestyle choices if they are looking to manage the pain and stress of arthritis.
Heat treatments, such as heat pads and warm baths, are good for soothing stiff joints and tired muscles. Cold is best for treating acute pain.
Firstly, they should eat a healthy and balanced diet, with lots of fatty fish, fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. High-fat, sugary, and processed foods are to be avoided.
There are various types of medication used to treat JA. Some medications control the disease activity itself, while others work to relieve symptoms.
Examples of drugs that control the disease activity include corticosteroids and disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs).
Unfortunately, there is no cure for JA. However, with early diagnosis and the right treatment, remission (little to no disease activity or symptoms) is perfectly possible to achieve.
If you suspect your child or teenager may have JA, the first port of call is the pediatrician. However, if the pediatrician agrees, they will probably refer you to a rheumatologist.
Other possible symptoms include fatigue (feeling tired or run down), as well as appetite loss, and high, spiking fever.
The rheumatologist will ask questions about your child’s medical and family history, as well as perform tests to check for signs of JA.
When it comes to the internal organs, JA may affect the digestive tract (diarrhea and bloating), lungs (shortness or breath), and heart.
Kids who suffer with JA may also experience problems with their eyes, including dryness, pain, redness, sensitivity, and trouble seeing caused by chronic inflammation.
As described above, when it comes to JA, there are various symptoms to look out for. A common symptom in JA sufferers is joint pain, redness, and/or swelling.
JIA itself is a cover term for six different types: oligoarthritis, polyarthritis, systemic, enthesitis-related, juvenile psoriatic arthritis, and undifferentiated.
There is no evidence that external factors themselves, such as foods, toxins, allergies, or lack of vitamins, actually cause JA.
Other types of JA include juvenile myositis, juvenile lupus, juvenile scleroderma, vasculitis, and fibromyalgia.
It is not known exactly what causes JA, but researchers believe that there are certain genes that may cause JA when activated by a virus, bacteria, or other external factors.
In most cases of JA, sufferers experience such symptoms as joint inflammation, swelling, and pain and tenderness.
Juvenile arthritis (JA), otherwise known as pediatric rheumatic disease, is a cover term for a number of inflammatory and rheumatic diseases that develop in kids under 16 years of age.
JA is not super common, but it is estimated to affect up to 300,000 children and teenagers in the United States alone.
The majority of types of JA are autoimmune or autoinflammatory diseases. This means that the immune system gets confused and attacks healthy tissue and cells.
Topical creams, gels, and patches can ease the pain in a joint or muscle. Some contain the same medicine that you find in pills, while others contain nerve irritants.
Massage or acupuncture may also help reduce pain and ease stress and anxiety. If your child has a fear of needles, pressure can be used instead.
A good plan to treat JA includes medication, physical activity, complementary therapies, and healthy eating habits.
Skin symptoms of JA include a scaly red rash (psoriatic), a light spotted pink rash (systemic), a butterfly-shaped rash across the bridge of the nose and cheeks (lupus), or thick, hardened patches of skin (scleroderma).
The term juvenile arthritis (JA) refers not to one specific disease, but rather to a group of rheumatic and inflammatory diseases that affect kids younger than 16 years of age. The symptoms of JA range from joint pain to sore eyes, and they can be quite nasty. Luckily, there are things that youngsters suffering with JA can do to alleviate their symptoms and improve their quality of life.
Check out this gallery to learn all about juvenile arthritis.
What is juvenile arthritis?
Approximately 300,000 children and teenagers in the United States are thought to be impacted by it
HEALTH Diseases
The term juvenile arthritis (JA) refers not to one specific disease, but rather to a group of rheumatic and inflammatory diseases that affect kids younger than 16 years of age. The symptoms of JA range from joint pain to sore eyes, and they can be quite nasty. Luckily, there are things that youngsters suffering with JA can do to alleviate their symptoms and improve their quality of life.
Check out this gallery to learn all about juvenile arthritis.