Is your child in pain?
So much pain that they struggle to get out of bed?
This could be the first sign that your child has juvenile arthritis.
all about juvenile arthritis (JA) only affects children under the age of 16.
It severely impacts on everyday life and has the ability to make even simple tasks very hard.
All About Juvenile Arthritis
Juvenile arthritis is categorized as an idiopathic autoimmune disease.
What this means is that despite years of study, Western medicine has failed to correctly diagnose and treat this chronic degenerative, autoimmune disease.
This is the same scenario for almost all other autoimmune diseases.
Autoimmune diseases are the phenomena whereby the body’s immune system turns on itself.
Please read Dealing With Juvenile Arthritis for more information on how to deal with JA and its symptoms.
There are 5 types of juvenile arthritis:
1. Systemic arthritis (Still’s disease)
- Affects boys and girls equally
Still’s disease affects the entire body and often displays as a flat, pale, pink rash accompanied by high fever.
It also affects many organs.
This includes the enlargement of the liver, spleen and lymph nodes.
The lining of the lungs and heart are also susceptible to inflammation.
2. Psoriatic Arthritis
- Affects boys and girls equally
Children may develop either arthritis or psoriasis first.
This condition also brings with it dactylitis.
Dactylitis is inflammation of an entire digit like a finger or toe.
3. Polyarthritis – Rheumatoid factor negative & rheumatoid factor positive
- Girls are more susceptible than boys
This form of JA involves 5 or more joints.
These joints are affected within the first 6 months of the condition.
The hands and feet, as well as the jaw and neck, are susceptible.
4. Oligoarthritis (Pauciarticular juvenile rheumatoid arthritis)
- Girls are more susceptible than boys
This form of JA comes in 2 forms:
- Persistent oligoarthritis – The child never has more than four joints affected.
- Extended oligoarthritis – More than four joints are affected after the first 6 months of the disease.
It also brings along with it uveitis.
Uveitis is inflammation of the anterior chamber of the iris.
Joints which are affected include the ankles, knees and wrists.
5. Enthesitis-related arthritis
- Mainly boys are affected
This form of JA effects areas where the tendons attach to bone.
Other affected areas include the hips, spine and eyes.
Symptoms
Children diagnosed with arthritis, usually experience inflammation and swelling of the synovium.
The synovium is the tissue which lines the inside of the joint.
Symptoms include:
- Persistent and high fever
- Joint pain, especially in the morning
- Skin rashes on the trunk, arms and legs
- Stiffness
- Joint swelling
- Constant fatigue
- Limping
- Blurred vision, redness and eye pain
Traditional Treatment
Treatment for JA involves a myriad of medication.
Usually, this medication includes NSAIDs, SAARDs and DMARDs. Unfortunately, these come with horrific long-term side effects.
There are several things which should be considered when treating a child with juvenile arthritis.
All of which will serve to improve your child’s overall quality of life.
If you would like to know more about the dangers of prescription drugs, please read Prescription Drugs Kill.
