The Mayo Clinic states that junior rheumatoid arthritis, also called juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA), is the most common form of arthritis in children younger than the age of 16. As an autoimmune disease, your child's body attacks its own joints, and this can result in very crippling symptoms.
Symptoms of Oligoarticular JRA
According to the KidsHealth website from Nemours, oligoarticular JRA affects at least four joints in your child's body. Symptoms include joint pain, swelling and stiffness. It can also lead to iritis (inflammation of the colored part of your eye).
Symptoms of Polyarthritis JRA
According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), polyarthritis can affect five or more joints in your child's body. Like oligoarticular arthritis, your child's joints may be stiff, swollen and painful. Typically, polyarthritis symptoms only affect your child's joints and not the eye or other areas of the body.
Systemic JRA symptoms
According to KidsHealth, JRA can affect your child's entire body and cause high fevers, a rash, an enlarged liver and swollen lymph nodes. At this point, most of your child's joints are painful, stiff and swollen.
Limited Movement
According to MedlinePlus, your child will experience limited movement of his extremities, back and head. He may require assistance with normal everyday tasks such as going to the bathroom.
Limping
The NIH states that your afflicted child may start limping. Sometimes, JRA spares certain joints and minimal movement is possible.
