Juvenile idiopathic arthritis, also known as juvenile rheumatoid arthritis or juvenile chronic arthritis, is the most common form of pediatric arthritis that occurs in children and youth before the age of 16, with symptoms existing for a minimum time period of at least six weeks. According to the Arthritis Foundation, around 300,000 children have juvenile arthritis in the United States. This chronic disease may exist the span of a few months or last for several years, and involves swelling, inflammation and pain in joint that can result in reduced range of motion at the affected joint sites.
Etiology: Predisposition
The exact cause of this disease is not known or scientifically understood, however juvenile arthritis is considered an autoimmune disorder. This means that the immune system mistakenly identifies cells of self as foreign, that is, as antigens, and attacks healthy cells. A suggested hypothesis involves the interaction of genetics and environment. Specifically, it is proposed that a genetic predisposition (with biomarkers) may be part of your genotype, which creates a potential vulnerability to the disease. However, this does not automatically predispose an individual to manifest the arthritic disorder (phenotype). It is suspected that something in the external environment, perhaps a virus, may act as a catalyst that provokes the condition.
Etiology: Ruled Out
Juvenile arthritis is not an infectious or contagious disease that can be acquired by contact, and likewise, research does not indicate that it is the product of an allergic process to some agent in the environment. For example, even vitamins have been shown not to play a role in the development of juvenile arthritis. There currently is no empirical evidence that indicates the mechanism of specific causality.
Conclusion
Arthritis is not just an adult disease but can manifest also in children. The specific etiology or cause of juvenile arthritis, as well as what triggers the autoimmune response, remains unknown at this time.
