July is Juvenile Arthritis Awareness Month, a month dedicated to increase awareness over early signs and symptoms of juvenile arthritis and to ease the focus of resources for this battle. The campaign was initiated by the Arthritis Foundation and targets a condition that currently affects 300 000 children nationwide, making it one of the most common childhood diseases in the US.
The word “arthritis” means joint inflammation in Latin, but juvenile arthritis can include eyes, skin and gastrointestinal tract as affected areas. The disorder has a large variety in forms and researchers and doctors alike are working to better understand what the key differences are and how different approaches can help.
Three classifications of juvenile arthritis exist: juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA), juvenile chronic arthritis (JCA), and juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA), of which, juvenile rheumatoid arthritis is the most common. The classification is made based on symptoms, number of joints involved and the presence of antibodies in the blood
At this moment there is no cure for juvenile arthritis. The custom approach to the disorder is to control pain levels, reduce inflammation and maintain mobility, while in more extreme cases surgery is the only possible solution to prevent further joint damage. Many treatment plans are based on proper medication, therapeutically physical activities and healthy eating. Probably the most important component of any plan is the way in which all measures are included in a child’s daily schedule in order to affect the quality of life as little as possible.
Arthritis Foundation
www.arthritis.org/arthritis-facts/disease-center/juvenile-arthritis.php