Natural Health Care

Posts Tagged ‘Juvenile Arthritis’

The main goal of treatment is to control inflammation to stop joint damage and to control symptoms so that the child can have a good quality of life. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are usually the first drugs prescribed to relieve inflammation in the joints. This decreases the amount of an enzyme found in affected joints that stimulate inflammation.

This same enzyme, however, helps protect the stomach, so NSAIDs often cause stomach irritation and ulcers. Available low-dose non-prescription NSAIDs, including ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin and other brands) and naproxen (Naprosyn, Aleve and others). Celecoxib (Celebrex) is a new drug, called COX-2 inhibitor is believed to be safer for the stomach because it has much effect on the enzyme that protects the stomach. Read the rest of this entry »

Duration

Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis is usually a lifelong disease. However, for many people, symptoms gradually decrease or disappear in adulthood.

Prevention

Since it is unclear what causes juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, there is no way to prevent it.

When To Call a Professional

Call a health professional if a child develops a fever or rash with symptoms of arthritis, such as persistent pain in the joints, swollen joints, if the child limps and if their movements are limited. Read the rest of this entry »

Symptoms

Symptoms vary depending on the child and their specific disorder. Common symptoms include:

- one or more joints that are inflamed and painful persistently or possibly become red and hot to the touch
pain when moving the joints, although many children never complain of pain
- stiffness or decreased ability to move joints, especially upon waking in the morning
- limp
- deformed joints
- limb posture or arched

Other symptoms may include:
- uneven patterns of growth (asymmetric) (one leg longer than the other)
- blurred vision, pain or redness in the eye
- low fever
- skin rash
- fatigue
- irritability
- chest pain
- complaints of widespread pain Read the rest of this entry »

Arthritis causes inflammation (swelling) of the joints that causes pain and tumescence (swelling). Although many people believe that arthritis is a disease of the elderly, various forms of arthritis can affect people of any age. When a child under 16 has arthritis, it is called juvenile arthritis. In the U.S., approximately 285,000 children suffer from some form of this disease.

The forms of juvenile arthritis are more common

Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, also called juvenile idiopathic arthritis is the most common form of juvenile arthritis. It is believed that juvenile rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease, which means that for unknown reasons, the body’s immune system attacks its own tissues either as it should react against a foreign invader, such as a virus or bacteria. In juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, the lining of the joint (called the synovium) becomes inflamed or enlarged, limiting movement and causing pain and sensitivity. Read the rest of this entry »