Signs & Symptoms of Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis

According a "Kids Health" article, juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA) affects about 50,000 American children. Also known as juvenile idiopathic arthritis, JRA appears in children between the ages of 6 months and 16 years. The initial signs are typically joint pain, swelling and warm, reddened joints. The more joints that are affected, the greater the severity of the disease, with less chance of symptoms disappearing permanently. It's important to know and recognize the common signs and symptoms of JRA so children can start receiving treatment.

Identification

• JRA is a chronic inflammatory disease that begins in childhood and eventually destroys body joints. The disease generally is broken down into categories based on symptoms of patients and number of joints affected. Risk factors for a child developing JRA may include genetic reasons or a getting a recent rubella infection.

General Symptoms of JRA

• A few general symptoms of JRA include swelling, joint pain, joint stiffness, rashes and fever. Eye problems can also be a symptom for the two main types of JRA when only a few joints are involved. Chest and abdominal pain, along with shortness of breath, are other common symptoms.

Pauciarticular JRA Symptoms

• The most frequent form of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis is pauciarticular JRA, which is also the mildest type of JRA. Pauciarticular JRA, usually concerns the fingers, toes, ankles, knees, hips and elbows. Four or fewer joints are affected during the first six months of the disease, with symptoms including joint swelling and pain. Uneven bone growth can be another symptom, causing one leg to grow longer than the other.

Symptoms of Polyarticular JRA

• Polyarticular JRA, also called polyarthritis, is more serious than pauciarticular JRA, because it involves more joints and deteriorates over time. This type of JRA, which characteristically begins in large joints, can also start in small joints of the hands and feet, as well as the knees, ankles, neck, feet and the jaw. Polyarticular JRA attacks the same joints located on both sides of a child's body. Besides joint damage, symptoms may include weakness, fever and rashes. Small bumps known as rheumatoid nodules may appear underneath the skin. Elbows and heels are pressure points where small bumps can also arise, suggesting polyarticular JRA.

Systemic JRA Symptoms

• The rarest form of JRA is systemic JRA or Still's disease. This JRA invades various body parts such as joints and internal organs. One of the main signs of systemic JRA is lymph node swelling. Fever and rashes that appear and then quickly disappear are other classic symptoms.

Warning

• Some children with JRA experience eye inflammation and therefore should have their eyes regularly checked to prevent loss of eyesight. Also, psychological or emotional problems can sometimes develop with JRA. If your child struggles with depression, find professional help so emotional problems don't worsen.