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Juvenile Osteoarthritis & Rheumatoid Arthritis

Osteoarthritis and Rheumatoid Arthritis are life-changing and debilitating diseases. They can rob children of the ability to enjoy the same activities of other children their age. Both conditions are characterized by painful symptoms. Although both are chronic and no cure exists, there are treatment options that can help slow progression and relieve the pain.

  1. Definition

    • The National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS) defines juvenile arthritis as "a group of diseases that cause pain, swelling, stiffness, and loss of motion in the joints." The term juvenile arthritis (JA) is used to describe the 7 types of arthritis in children and youths.

    Prevalence

    • Statistics from the National Arthritis Data Workgroup, published on the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases website, indicates approximately 294,000 children between the ages of birth and 17 suffer from some type of arthritis or a rheumatic disease. Approximately 1 in every 1,000 children develop some type of arthritis.

    Osteoarthritis

    • Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common form of arthritis in adults. Osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint disease. With OA, the cartilage in the joints break down. Without the cartilage as a buffer, bones rub together resulting in pain, stiffness and loss of movement. OA normally presents in the neck, lower back, hands, hips and knees. OA gets worse over time. The symptoms of osteoarthritis and the associated damage occurs over a period of many years.

    Rheumatoid Arthritis

    • Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA) is one of the two classification groups for chronic arthritis. JRA is the most serious of the arthritis types. It is an autoimmune disease. It is the second most common form of juvenile arthritis. In JRA, the immune system attacks the tissues lining the joints. The disease can affect multiple joints at one time. The attacks can occur on both sides of the body. The disease can affect other parts of the body such as the heart, eyes and lungs. Along with the general symptoms, the specific symptoms associated with JRA include muscle weakness, feeling ill and fatigue. The symptoms of JRA develop rapidly over a period of a few weeks or months. Severe damage from JRA can occur in a short period of time.

    Causes

    • The majority of JA cases occur when the body's immune system attacks healthy organs or tissues. Doctors do not know why the immune system mistakenly identifies healthy organs as foreign invaders. Researchers believe two factors come together in children who develop JA. First, the genetic makeup of the child gives him a tendency to develop the disease. Second, something from the environment, such as a cold or virus, triggers the onset of the disease.

    Treatment Options

    • JRA cannot be prevented or cured. Anti-rheumatic medications can reduce the progression and pain of the disease and increase life expectancy, according to the Australian Government Department of Health and Aging. Non-treatment methods include physical therapy and complementary and alternative therapies.

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