Juvenile Chronic Arthritis, or Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA),
is a disease that affects one in every 1,000 children in Canada.
Real source of concern for parents,
it is nevertheless possible today for children to live well with this disease.
Chronic juvenile arthritis in a nutshell
Juvenile chronic arthritis is an inflammatory disease that affects children 16 and under. It is found in boys and girls, but they are affected four times more often by this problem.
This autoimmune disease disrupts the immune system, which then attacks healthy tissues of different parts of the body instead of protecting them. In the case of juvenile chronic arthritis, it is the joints that are affected. Although this problem is widespread, its causes are still unknown; however, some genetic, infectious and immunological factors seem to be associated with it.
There are several categories of juvenile chronic arthritis
If you have researched this disease, you may have heard of several types of juvenile chronic arthritis such as systemic arthritis or rheumatoid arthritis. It is important to know that all these names refer to juvenile idiopathic arthritis.
However, to facilitate research, but also to promote treatment, juvenile chronic arthritis has been classified into seven categories. The latter make it possible to discern the various forms of the disease and its characteristics. Thus, some forms will be more frequent in boys than in girls, they will be triggered at a more or less advanced age and they will be more or less serious.
The various forms of juvenile chronic arthritis: systemic arthritis, oligoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis positive, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, enthesitis arthritis and undifferentiated arthritis.
Does my child have juvenile chronic arthritis?
The symptoms of juvenile chronic arthritis are often difficult to identify in young children, but also adolescents. Generally, we notice pain, swollen joints, heat zones, limitation of movement or muscle weakness. Morning stiffness, although often perceived as mundane, can also be an important symptom.
It is important to mention that these symptoms must last more than six weeks before being associated with juvenile arthritis.
In young children, the symptoms of this disease are difficult to interpret and identify quickly. In addition, because arthritis is an irregular disease, symptoms may be more or less constant. The child can limp, refuse to move or play, have a drop in energy or mood changes.
On the adolescent side, symptoms can also be difficult to identify because they are often associated with other issues. The pain or joint stiffness that will be suffered by the adolescent will often be interpreted as growth pains or injuries due to the many activities they practice.
Good Reflex
If you find that your child is moving less or seems to be experiencing pain while performing daily activities (walking down stairs, walking, standing, sitting, etc.) and that pain persists for more than six weeks, then recommended to consult a Physiotherapist.
Your child has been diagnosed with juvenile chronic arthritis: do not lose hope!
Although chronic juvenile arthritis is a disease that can not be cured, it is quite possible to live comfortably by keeping it in remission. Ms. Sonia Hossain Chowdhury is also very optimistic about the quality of life of her patients and is reassuring about their future. Thanks to advances in medication, children's lives are greatly improved and it is not uncommon for them to be able to fully resume their activities.
This medication acts on the immunity of the child and helps to stabilize his situation in the long term. Some parents quickly see improvements and it often happens to Ms. Sonia Hossain Chowdhury to hear "he is happier, he starts playing again and we find our child! ".
While new treatments have proved successful for many children, it will take a few more years to decide on their effectiveness in the very long term. Nevertheless, the current results bring hope to children and their parents.
Juvenile chronic arthritis and physiotherapy: keep moving
Once a child has been diagnosed with juvenile chronic arthritis and prescribed medication, he or she is often referred for physiotherapy. The physiotherapist will have a role in preventing symptoms as well as improving the quality of life. Its goal will be to minimize inflammation to avoid repercussions on the joints and bones.
It can intervene on the pain, the improvement of the articular amplitude and the muscular reinforcement. While adapting to his patient, the physiotherapy professional will prescribe several simple exercises, easy to perform daily. He will also give valuable advice to parents.
In addition, the physiotherapist will recommend that the child be physically active. Indeed, contrary to popular belief, juvenile chronic arthritis is not synonymous with sedentary lifestyle. On the contrary, staying active will allow the child to improve his range of motion and muscle strength, which will have an impact on the pain. The activity should simply be adapted to the child and his state of health.
In times of crisis (episode of pain), the professional will tend to reduce the activities of the young, but it will encourage him to gradually resume these once the young will be stabilized. In order to reduce morning stiffness, he will recommend hot water baths in the morning, which will help the muscles warm up.
What is the best sport for children with juvenile chronic arthritis?
The most recommended sports for children with chronic juvenile arthritis are water sports (swimming, aqua-fit, aqua-stretching, etc.) and non-impact sports such as cycling.
However, it is important to take into account the psychological impact and not to prevent a child from practicing an activity that he loves and that he had started before suffering from this disease.
Ms. Sonia Hossain Chowdhury then recommends adjusting the activity to the child's condition and adapting its frequency according to its tolerance.
In conclusion, juvenile chronic arthritis is a disease that is not easy to manage, both for the child who suffers from it and for his parents. However, it is important to remember that scientific advances allow children to have a better quality of life and continue to engage in activities that stimulate and make them happy.
Nice & useful post. Thanks for the information
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