Juvenile Arthritis

Juvenile Arthritis (pronounced: joo-vuh-nile ar-thry-tis) is a term used to describe a group of long-lasting, chronic, inflammatory diseases that affect children under the age of 16. The etymology of the term comes from the Latin word "juvenis" meaning young, and the Greek word "arthron" meaning joint, combined with the suffix "-itis" which denotes inflammation.

Types

There are several types of Juvenile Arthritis, including:

Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA) - This is the most common type of arthritis in children. The cause is unknown (idiopathic).

Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis (JRA) - This is an older term that was used to describe many types of childhood arthritis.

Juvenile Psoriatic Arthritis - This type of arthritis affects some children who have psoriasis, a skin disease.

Juvenile Lupus - Lupus is an autoimmune disease. When it affects children, it may cause arthritis.

Juvenile Dermatomyositis - An inflammatory disease, it causes muscle weakness and a skin rash on the eyelids and knuckles.

Juvenile Scleroderma - Scleroderma, which literally means “hard skin,” describes a group of conditions that causes the skin to tighten and harden.

Kawasaki Disease - This disease causes blood-vessel inflammation that can lead to heart complications.

Mixed Connective Tissue Disease - This disease includes features of arthritis, lupus dermatomyositis and scleroderma.

Symptoms

Symptoms of Juvenile Arthritis may vary depending on the type but can include:

Joint pain
Swelling
Stiffness
Fever
Rash
Weight loss
Fatigue (tiredness)
Irritability
Eye redness or eye pain
Blurred vision

Treatment

Treatment for Juvenile Arthritis focuses on helping the child maintain a normal level of physical and social activity. To achieve this, doctors may use a combination of methods to relieve pain and swelling, maintain full movement and strength, and prevent complications.

External links

Medical encyclopedia article on Juvenile Arthritis
Wikipedia's article - Juvenile Arthritis

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Juvenile Arthritis