July 1 marked the beginning of Juvenile Arthritis Awareness Month, a month dedicated to promoting awareness about the disease, which affects approximately 294,000 children in the U.S. under the age of 18. Led by the Arthritis Foundation, this event will focus on reaching out to children affected by juvenile arthritis and their families.
What is Juvenile Arthritis?
Juvenile arthritis is an umbrella term used to describe the many autoimmune and inflammatory conditions that can develop in children ages 16 and younger. While arthritis typically affects the joints, juvenile arthritis can also involve the eyes, skin and gastrointestinal tract. There are several different types of juvenile arthritis, the most common type being juvenile idiopathic arthritis, which begins before age 16 and involves swelling in one or more joints lasting at least six weeks. Other symptoms include muscle and soft tissue tightening, bone erosion, joint misalignment and changes in growth patterns.
How can you help your child manage juvenile arthritis?
The most important step in properly treating your child’s juvenile arthritis is getting an accurate diagnosis from a pediatric rheumatologist and other health care professionals such as dentists, ophthalmologists and physical therapists. Because there is no cure for juvenile arthritis, the main goal for treatment is to relieve inflammation, control pain and improve your child’s quality of life. Most treatment plans involve a combination of medication, physical activity, eye care and healthy eating.
Medication used to treat juvenile arthritis is divided into two groups: those that help relieve pain and inflammation and those that can alter the course of the disease, put it into remission and prevent joint damage (disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs and biologic response modifiers). Your child’s doctor might try several different medications and/or dosages until your child responds positively to treatments. Some medications affect the immune system or have other side effects. It’s important for parents to frequently and carefully monitor how your child responds to medications, take thorough notes and openly communicate with your child’s doctor.
It’s also important to make sure your child gets the most from their medications through proper medication management. This 7-Day Locking Pill Reminder available at Walgreens is great – especially for young children – with locking feature to prevent accidental spilling or opening. The contour bottom makes it easy to remove medication and it comes in small, medium or large to accommodate varying pill amounts and sizes.
Your child should also check out the Kids Get Arthritis Too website, which is a great resource with easy-to-comprehend information on juvenile arthritis and tips to take charge of the disease. It enables them to share their story with other kids their age.
How will you help raise awareness of juvenile arthritis?
-Susan
Tags: Arthritis, Arthritis Foundation, Juvenile arthritis, Juvenile Arthritis Awareness Month, pill reminders
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Thanks for sharing info about juvenile arthritis. I’d like to introduce you to arthritis author and national spokesperson for the Arthritis National Research Foundation, Kelly Rouba. Kelly has had JRA since the age of 2 and she published her first book, Juvenile Arthritis: The Ultimate Teen Guide, in 2008. Visit her site at http://kellyrouba.com.
I grew up with someone who suffered from juvenile arthritis. They really worked on their diet to manage the pain and debilitation, which seemed to work for them. My parents have found a great natural supplement called SierraSil that has helped them manage their pain.
Thanks for the comment Jane. I haven’t heard of SierraSil so thanks for the tip. -Susan