Different Types of Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis

Some children are born old. They have the characteristics and thought processes that we commonly associate with older, wiser people. There is nothing wrong with this at all, and those children typically grow up to be extremely productive, successful adults – because they seem to have ‘old souls.’ But when a child has the physical characteristics of an older person, such as inflammation of the joints or pain in the joints, this is a problem. This is usually juvenile rheumatoid arthritis.

Rheumatoid arthritis, whether it occurs in children or adults, is actually an autoimmune disease or problem, as opposed to the wearing down of cartilage and bone, as is the cause of other types of arthritis, such as osteoarthritis. There is no cure for arthritis, in any form, however in the case of rheumatoid arthritis, there are periods of remission, and flare ups are not determined by the weather, activities, or age.

There have been three different types of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis identified. These are Polyarthritis, Systemic arthritis, and oligoarthritis. The treatment for juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, as well as the prognosis, is different, depending on the type of arthritis that your child has.

Systemic arthritis is commonly known as Stills Disease. Typically, if your child has Systemic arthritis, he or she will not have swollen or painful joints. Instead, he or she will actually have swollen lymph nodes, which may be accompanied by fever or rashes. Stills disease is dangerous, because other organs of the body can also become inflamed.

If your child has oligoarthritis, you will find that up to five different joints are affected, and those joints will periodically become inflamed or painful. It is not uncommon for children who have oligoarthritis to also have inflammation in the eyes, which can lead to blindness. It is important to note that if more than five joints are affected, the condition is not oligoarthritis. Instead, it is polyarthritis.  Polyarthritis, unlike oligoarthritis, does not affect any other part of the body, other than the joints.

If your child is experiencing any of these problems or symptoms, it is vital that you seek medical treatment. It is also important to understand that pain and swelling in the joints can indicate problems other than juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, so a proper diagnosis is important as well. While there is no cure for arthritis, in any form, treatment is available, and should, of course, be sought for the comfort of your child, as well as the overall health of your child.