Pam Ponders

Growing older is associated with more aches and more pains.

Tasks require more effort than they did in the earlier years, and you still feel the day’s work a week, or maybe even two, later. Unfortunately, this pain is also experienced by hundreds of thousands of children every year.

What starts as discomfort or minor irritation can become severe pain. For some, juvenile arthritis can be debilitating.

Juvenile arthritis is an autoimmune disease that affects the joints. They become inflamed and range of motion is severely limited. This disease strikes at a crucial stage of development, and children who suffer from it may not grow at the same pace as other children or reach their full height potential.

A typical symptom of juvenile arthritis is stiffness in the joints. It is common to wake up in the morning with this pain.

There is no definitive test available that determines if a child has juvenile arthritis. Symptoms persist over the course of six weeks, and when all other possibilities have been ruled out as the causation of the joint pain and discomfort, the diagnosis of juvenile arthritis is usually given.

Pediatric rheumotologists are specialists in this form of arthritis. Often, a primary care physician will refer children to a pediatric rheumotologist for final diagnosis.

It is vital to a child for their parents and care givers to understand their disease in order to have realistic physical expectations of them. This joint pain and inflammation is very real and can be very painful.

The severity and scope of juvenile arthritis differs depending on the type of arthritis. Children with polyarticular juvenile arthritis suffer from inflamation in five or more joints. Those with pauciarticular juvenile arthritis are affected in four joints or fewer, and children with systemic onset juvenile arthritis experience joint pain or inflammation in at one or more joints as well as internal organs.

Any treatment program for juvenile arthritis is meant to alleviate discomfort of the sufferer. This is achieved by controlling inflammation, preventing or controlling joint damage and maximizing joint and bodily functions.

A key component of a child’s treatment will be exercise. This helps prevent the joints from becoming tense or inflamed.

Exercise can be used in conjunction with relaxation techniques characteristic of yoga and meditation to help ease the stress within the joints. Splints can also be used during hours of sleep to prevent morning stiffness.

It is important to consult with specialists in juvenile arthritis, particularly if the child’s condition is severe.

Since arthritis can affect the whole body, it is important to have all areas checked on a regular basis for signs of inflammation.

It is common for children coping with juvenile arthritis to become depressed. Their disease may impose physical limitations on their activities that isolate them from their peers. Psychologists should also be an integral part of the health care team.

For parents and caregivers, it is important to acknowledge the child’s feelings, and yet help the child focus on what they can do instead of what they cannot.

While juvenile arthritis is very painful and stressful, it is vital that stress and anxiety be reduced as much as possible. It interferes with the treatment process and quality of life for the child. Having a good understanding of juvenile arthritis and being supportive will help minimize stress.