Mom, help me, my knee hurts.

It's OK honey, they will get better.

About 285,000 children in the United States have a form of juvenile arthritis (7). The most common in children is juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA). Estimates vary on the number of children in the US with JRA but this is one of the most common chronic childhood illnesses.

The cause of most forms of JRA remains unknown and current research suggests that there may be genetic predisposition to juvenile arthritis. Juvenile arthritis is not contagious and there are no evidence that foods, toxins, allergies or vitamin deficiencies play a role. Most of the symptoms are due to inflammation as a result of the immune system.

There are many effective treatments available to help you and your child manage juvenile arthritis.

 



 

The purpose of this website is to cover background of what is known about rheumatic diseases of childhood today. It will also cover drugs in general use as well as suggestions on how to manage the various inflammatory states that are considered during rheumatic diseases of childhood. This website will discuss how JRA is diagnosed, treated, the possible course of the disease and the possible outcomes. It will also provide suggestions on the issues that deal with helping the child with JRA cope with daily activities at home and in school. Finally, this website hopes to assist in helping the family deal with the physical and emotional impact on their children with rheumatic disease.

 

This site was created by Cyrus Booth in fulfillment of requirements for the course CSS 335: Latino Health Issues taught by Dr. Szkupinski Quiroga at Arizona State University, Spring 2006.