Juvenile Arthritis has
become one of the nation’s most common childhood ailments. Approximately
295,000 children suffer from several types of rheumatologic conditions which
can greatly affect their ability to develop normally and lead active lives
without pain. Basic symptoms include tenderness, stiffness, pain or
swelling of joints resulting in restricted movements and limited range of
motion.
To date, the cause of rheumatoid
arthritis remains an enigma and there is no cure, be it among children or
adults. It has not been found to be related to eating habits, vitamin
deficiency or allergies, but maybe present in genes and triggered by unknown
factors. Only after assessing the patient’s complete medical history can
rheumatoid arthritis be diagnosed. For arthritic
problems in children, evaluation should be done by a pediatric
rheumatologist after joint swelling is present in two or more joints for six
weeks.
Treatment concentrates on
controlling inflammation, joint deformity and pain. While medications can be
adopted as a first line of treatment, pediatric rheumatologists also encourage
physical activity, occupational therapy and proper nutrition to manage
symptoms.
Awareness is growing worldwide as
July is declared the Juvenile Arthritis awareness month. If you would like to
learn more please visit www.arthritis.org.
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