Pain is an important feature of juvenile idiopathic arthritis

This subtype can include the affect of the neck and jaw as well as the small joints usually affected. Affecting 5 or more joints in the first 6 months of disease. Oligoarticular is used with JIA terminology, and pauciarticular is used with JRA terminology. Oligoarticular JIA affects 4 or fewer joints in the first 6 months of illness. Current understanding of JIA suggests that it arises in a genetically susceptible individual due to environmental factors. The cause of JIA, as the word idiopathic suggests, is unknown and currently an area of active research. Children with JIA vary in the degree to which they are affected by particular symptoms. Late effects of arthritis include joint contracture and joint damage. Pain is an important feature of JIA, but young children may have difficulty in communicating this symptom.

Symptoms of Juvenile idiopathic arthritis

Swelling may be difficult to detect clinically, especially for joints such as those of the spine, sacroiliac joints, shoulder, hip and jaw, where imaging techniques such as ultrasound or MRI are very useful. The cardinal clinical feature is persistent swelling of the affected joint , which commonly include the knee, ankle, wrist and small joints of the hands and feet. Children may also become quite ill, presenting with flu-like symptoms that persist. The first manifestation, particularly in young children, may be limping. Symptoms of JIA are often non-specific initially, and include lethargy, reduced physical activity, and poor appetite. Adding to the confusion, the term rheumatoid itself lacks a consistent, unambiguous definition. A majority of cases are rheumatoid factor negative, which leads some to consider the "chronic" or "idiopathic" labels more appropriate. JIA does not encompass all forms of chronic childhood arthritis. Other sources still use the latter term.

JIA replaces the term juvenile rheumatoid arthritis

According to some sources, JIA replaces the term juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. The Terminology used is evolving, and each term has some limitations. It differs significantly from arthritis commonly seen in adults , and other types of arthritis that can present in childhood which are chronic conditions. JIA is a subset of arthritis seen in childhood, which may be transient and self-limited or chronic. Juvenile idiopathic arthritis is the most common form of persistent arthritis in children.

Juvenile idiopathic arthritis

There is no single, definitive laboratory test for juvenile idiopathic arthritis, but some blood tests are helpful. A doctor diagnoses juvenile idiopathic arthritis based on the child's symptoms and the results of a physical examination. Iridocyclitis in juvenile idiopathic arthritis is asymptomatic , but it can lead to permanent loss of vision if untreated. Inflammation of the iris in the eye can develop with any type of juvenile idiopathic arthritis, but most often iridocyclitis develops with pauciarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis or polyarthritis. Long-standing joint inflammation can eventually cause deformities or permanent damage of the affected joint. When juvenile idiopathic arthritis interferes with growth of the jaw, a small chin can result.

Joint deformities may develop if untreated. Any type of juvenile idiopathic arthritis can interfere with physical growth. Joint pain persists for years if untreated. Pain may become worse when the joint is moved.

Idiopathic rheumatoid arthritis

The types of juvenile idiopathic arthritis are treated similarly, and the drugs used to reduce pain and inflammation are the same as for rheumatoid arthritis. If the children have systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis, then an annual eye exam suffices. Children must be examined several times a year by an ophthalmologist for iridocyclitis regardless of whether symptoms are present. X-ray studies eventually may show characteristic changes in the bones or joints. Children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis who have antinuclear antibodies in their blood are at a higher risk of developing iridocyclitis. An adolescent with polyarticular juvenile arthritis and a positive test result for rheumatoid factor has a form of arthritis that is very similar to rheumatoid arthritis in adults. However, many children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis do not have rheumatoid factor or antinuclear antibodies in their blood. Blood is tested for rheumatoid factor and antinuclear antibodies, which are present in some people with rheumatoid arthritis and related diseases. The erythrocyte sedimentation rate is usually very abnormal in the systemic form, less so in the polyarticular form, and usually normal in the pauciarticular form.