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What the heck is Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA)

Childhood arthritis disrupts the lives of approximately 300,000 kids and their families in the U.S. In this post, you will learn more about the signs, symptoms and treatments for this debilitating disease.

The medical term for a common form of children’s arthritis is Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis or JIA. Children suffering with JIA may experience pain and stiffness, swollen joints, and more limited mobility than their other kids their age. Other symptoms include fatigue, limping, eye infections, and lingering fever, rash, or swollen glands. About 30% of young patients maintain significant limitations for 10 or more years after the onset of JIA. I recently chatted with Dr. Derrick Todd, a Rheumatologist from Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Massachusetts about JIA. Watch it now.

The cause of this disease is unknown, and its afflictions take many different forms. For example, polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis (PJIA) is characterized by inflammation in five or more joints within the first six months of the disease, while systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis (SJIA), the most severe form of the disease, can affect the whole body, including the joints, skin, spleen and lymph nodes.

The cause of this disease is unknown, and its afflictions take many different forms. For example, polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis (PJIA) is characterized by inflammation in five or more joints within the first six months of the disease, while systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis (SJIA), the most severe form of the disease, can affect the whole body, including the joints, skin, spleen and lymph nodes. 

Childhood arthritis is an autoimmune disease and it best diagnosed and treated by a rheumatologist. Your pediatrician or family doctor would likely make a referral to a rheumatologist if they suspect signs and
symptoms of the disease.

Where can I find credible information about childhood arthritis?

As with all health concerns, it’s important to consult a licensed healthcare provider in your area. To learn more about JIA, Dr. Todd recommends these 2 websites:
Kids Get Arthritis, Too
American College of Rheumatology

More About Dr. Todd:
Derrick J. Todd, MD, PhD, is a rheumatologist and Director of the Brigham and Women’s Rheumatology Musculoskeletal Ultrasound Center, in Boston, Massachusetts. Dr. Todd completed his undergraduate degree at Yale University, medical and graduate school at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, internal medicine residency at Massachusetts General Hospital, and rheumatology fellowship at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. He is an Instructor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School. Areas of clinical expertise include musculoskeletal ultrasound, and also adolescent rheumatology for patients transitioning from pediatric to adult rheumatology care.

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