Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis

Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis is the most common form of arthritis in children. It can start as young as 6 months or as late as 16 years of age.

Like adult-onset arthritis it is characterized by inflammation of one or more joints, leading to stiffness and loss of mobility, pain, swelling, redness and occasionally heat at the site of the affected joint. Juvenile arthritis can also cause muscle weakness and in some children also can affect organs of the body such as the lungs and liver.

In some children the symptoms will be mild and will come and go, whereas in others there may be more severe consequences, including ongoing pain or restrictions in movement of certain limbs. This can of course cause quite a disturbance to the child and therefore it must be looked at by a doctor as soon as possible.

As children are highly active, the loss of mobility associated with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis can be especially debilitating and as such early diagnosis and careful monitoring, along with appropriate lifestyle and diet changes are very important to ensure that the child suffers as least as possible.

Your nutritionist and doctor can work on a diet and lifestyle plan to best suit your child. You should consult them on a regular basis to ensure that the plans are working as they should be.

Diagnosis is based on a range of tests designed to ensure that the symptoms are ongoing and to rule out other illnesses. Once diagnosed your child will be referred to a specialist who will recommend the best course of treatment and management for his or her particular case.