Rheumatoid Arthritis in Children
Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis is a condition that a number of children suffer from. It is a fairly unknown medical issue in children and hence, tends to go undiagnosed. Read on for more information.
Types of Rheumatoid Arthritis in Children
There are three different types of rheumatoid arthritis; systemic JRA, polyarticular JRA and pauciarticular JRA. Systemic rheumatoid arthritis is not very common among children and is characterized by joint pain that may even spread to other organs of the body. This is considered to be the most serious type. Polyarticular JRA is moderately common and a severe form of this disorder that gets worse with time. Pauciarticular rheumatoid arthritis is the mildest form of this disorder, wherein, the child experiences pain in less than 4 joints.
Causes
As mentioned before, rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease wherein, the immune system destroys the cells that it is actually supposed to be protecting. The reason behind children developing rheumatoid rthritis is still unknown. Children can develop this disease in infancy or anytime after that. There also seems to be some genetic reason behind children developing this disorder.
Symptoms
The following is a list of some of the most apparent symptoms. Some of these symptoms if you notice are not related completely to pain, such as weight loss, hence, you need to be aware of a sudden dip in the weight scales of your child being a signal of something serious.
Swollen joints
Joint pain
Recurrent fever
Limping
Stiffness in the joints of the neck or the hips
Deformation of the joints
Loss of joint function
Weight loss
Rashes that disappear quickly
Inflammation of the eye
The following symptoms often go unnoticed for a long time until the child starts complaining of severe joint pain. There are a number of tests that can help identify and diagnose this disorder in children. If left untreated, this degenerative disease can lead to the child being completely disabled.
Treatment
Contrary to the popular assumption that rheumatoid arthritis cannot be treated, it can be treated with the help of medication, physical therapy, proper diet, eye care and exercising. Children in whom the disorder is diagnosed early on tend to grow out of it with proper care and medication. Here's some more information on the treatment methods of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis.
Medication
The medication prescribed for this disorder include rheumatic medication like methotrexate, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAID), disease modifying drugs and corticosteroids. The medication prescribed will also depend on the severity of the symptoms.
Exercises
A strict exercise regimen should be followed by children suffering from rheumatoid arthritis which will help them strengthen their muscles and provide some support to the degenerating joints. They can indulge in activities like brisk walking, swimming or bicycling.
Diet
Following an appropriate diet is extremely essential for the treatment. Their diet should be rich in nutrients like calcium, zinc and proteins. There are also certain food items that they should avoid to prevent worsening of the symptoms associated with this disorder. Your physician will be able to guide you well regarding the diet to be followed.
Eye and Dental Care
Regular eye and dental check ups will help avoid eye inflammation, dental complications other problems of the eye caused due to rheumatoid arthritis. The child should be taken to an eye specialist and a dentist at least once in two months.
Treatment for rheumatoid arthritis should not be delayed and a lot of care needs to be taken. Dietary supplements, along with medication can also help the child to completely grow out of this disorder.
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