Arthritis is a painful and often chronic disease affecting the joints throughout the body. Swellling, tenderness and joints that feel warm to the touch are among the symptoms of arthritis when diagnosed in an adult. Children are not exempt from arthritis, and according to KidsHealth.org, an online medical resource affiliated with The Nemours Foundation, as many as 300,000 youngsters in America suffer from the disease. Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA) is an especially prevalent form of arthritis affecting children younger than 16. Symptoms include joint pain but a affect other regions of the body as well.
Types of JRA
There are three major types of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis and they are distinct in their symptoms and the areas of the body they affect. The most common form of JRA is pauciarticular JRA. The Arthritis Foundation estimates that half of the kids who have juvenile rheumatoid arthritis have this type, which involves four joints at most. Pauciarticular JRA usually affects large joints such as knees, hips, ankles and the lower spinal joints. Polyarticular JRA refers to a form of the disease that affects five or more joints at the same time. The third form of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis is called systemic JRA and is the least common type of JRA. Symptoms of systemic JRA appear throughout the body's organs, not just the joints.
Onset of Symptoms
The onset of JRA symptoms varies from person to person. Children as young as 6 months old can show early symptoms of the disease, though diagnosis is more common during a child's elementary school years. Symptoms may appear quickly and disappear just as quickly, or they may linger. Diagnosis of JRA normally calls for a display of symptoms for 6 weeks or longer, as well as a battery of tests to rule out viral illnesses, bacterial infections and childhood cancers whose symptoms may mimic those of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis.
Joint Pain
Pain and stiffness in a particular joint or area of the body is often the first symptom of JRA. A child may feel warmth in the affected area or notice redness. Parents may notice their child limping or not using a hand or arm that may indicate pain in the joint. The joints may become visibly swollen during a flareup of JRA. Children who have polyarticular JRA may feel pain and stiffness in their jaw and may have trouble chewing. Joint symptoms may go into remission and come back with a vengeance after the child has a cold or another viral illness.
Systemic Symptoms
Systemic JRA affects not only the joints but other parts of the body as well. Fevers that reach 103 degrees F or higher are common symptoms of systemic JRA. Children who suffer from this form of arthritis may develop rashes on their bodies that come and go quickly, especially during a fever spike. Symptoms of systemic JRA may mimic those of other illnesses, such as swollen glands and anemia. Potentially systemic symptoms include an inflammation of the heart's lining and lung inflammation.
Eye Inflammation
One of the forms of pauciarticular JRA announces itself through a type of eye inflammation called uveitis. The inflammation of the eye does not hurt, but must be monitored carefully in order to avoid damage to the eye and loss of sight. Children who have this form of arthritis may be tested for a particular antibody, called ANA. Children who test positive for ANA antibodies are at a higher risk for developing eye symptoms of JRA and should schedule regular checkups with an ophthalmologist.
